Killie forlorn figures at lonely Hearts club

RAY HEPBURN

26 Sep 1994

HEARTS not only reaffirmed that their recovery is gathering pace in Saturday's 3-0 defeat of Kilmarnock, they identified the Ayrshire team as potential for the dreaded tenth place in the league.

Although it would be outrageously premature to be forecasting relegation in September, the meek way Killie submitted must be ringing alarm bells at Rugby Park.

The day belonged firmly to the swift passing, smooth running Edinburgh team who would have vanquished most of the premier division clubs with this inventive mix.

Manager Tommy McLean insists that the recent upturn in results is partly down to a reaction by his players to recent criticism, and that is the best news he has had since moving to Tynecastle.

For it confirms that the backbone of his team still possesses the resilience and pride that has carried them through a decade of sapping setbacks, and have still emerged a credible, professional unit.

Henry Smith, Craig Levein, Neil Berry, Gary Mackay, John Colquhoun, and John Robertson all endured that season in 1986 when everything was possible until the deathly final week.

And their experience of life was enhanced by competing with the then great Bayern Munich over two legs, having deserved to win the UEFA Cup quarter-final two years later.

Saturday's response to their own frail start to the season, marked Hearts out as a top half of the table team, and exactly where they finish in that bracket is for the players to determine.

One cautionary note remains, however, for the former Motherwell manager.

Their three goals on Saturday all came from players who will not trouble the Golden Boot judges next May.

John Millar's eleventh minute shot, McLaren's firm header seven minutes later, and Mackay's cleverly guided shot with 13 minutes left were all expertly contrived goals.

But McLean will want more from his forward players when the Edinburgh team tackle clubs at the other end of the league table throughout the season.

Colquhoun, who is essentially a winger, Maurice Johnston, and Kevin Thomas have scored one goal each in their six premier division games.

All the rest have come from defenders and midfield players.

They will have to be more productive in subsequent games when Saturday's scorers will not be allowed to push forward into threatening positions so readily as they were against Kilmarnock.

Taken from the Herald