A REPORT from referee supervisor Kenny Hope will decide the fate of

Hearts' forward Alan Lawrence after he clashed in an off-the-ball

incident with Rangers' defender Craig Moore, leaving the young

Australian lying on the ground clutching his face.

Referee Mike Pocock from Aberdeen waved on the Ibrox physio when play

had ended following Oleg Salenko's fourth goal but he refused to consult

his linesman as Rangers' players protested furiously. Keeper Andy Goram,

who raced from goal to make his feelings known, was yellow carded for

his trouble.

The Hearts' player, however, escaped although the clear indications

were that he had elbowed Moore in the face as the pair went for a

through ball.

Television cameras missed the incident, too, but it would be

surprising if the experienced supervisor also failed to see what

happened.

This clash occurred in the general area of the Ibrox pitch where the

now-infamous Duncan Ferguson head butt took place. That was spotted by

the supervisor who, on that day, would have had the same vantage point

as Mr Hope.

It may seem wrong to Hearts that, while the referee took no action,

their player -- banned from discussing the clash -- may find himself in

trouble.

But with the Ferguson affair, the Scottish Football Association

released the genies from the bottle by over-ruling the match official

that day. Now they are left to contemplate a future where the referee's

decision is never again going to be final despite what the Laws of the

Game may tell us.

It will be interesting to see the outcome once Hope's report reaches

Park Gardens.