SCARYTALE STUFF FOR LAWRENCE

Missed pen is latest chapter in Shanks' grim season

BRUGGE is known as Belgium’s fairytale town due to its picturesque buildings, cobbled streets and canals.

But Hearts – and Lawrence Shankland in particular – were made to suffer a Grimm 90 Conference League minutes in West Flanders.

In a game that will never go down in legend, the Jam Tarts were beaten by Cercle with the skipper the chief villain after ballooning an 82nd-minute penalty over with the score 1-0.

Shankland’s woeful effort was the latest chapter in a season turning sour for the man crowned Scotland’s player of the year just six months ago.

He was targeted with furious abuse from the 3100-strong travelling maroon army behind the goal at full- time, cutting a distraught figure as he left the park.

Malamine Efekele’s 40th-minute opener and Gary Magnee’s clincher come the 90th ensured there was no happy ending for Neil Critchley’s side.

Missed chances at key moments cost the Jambos against the bang average Belgians.

The Hearts fans turned Brugge’s stunning Market Square into a sea of maroon ahead of kick-off.

They were close to outnumbering their hosts in the Jan Breydel Stadium too as Cercle’s troubles domestically were reflected in the swathes of empty spaces in the stands.

The fans’ efforts went unanswered by their side, though, as they slipped to a fourth successive defeat and left the pitch to a chorus of angry boos from finger-pointing punters.