Hamilton gives Hearts cutting edge

JIM REYNOLDS

6 Jan 1997

Raith Rovers..............1 Hearts........................2

HEARTS continued their revival at Stark's Park on Saturday when, for the first time in more than four years, they completed a run which has seen them win four league matches in a row.

It was at the expense of unlucky Raith Rovers, who hardly deserved to lose a match to which they contributed so much.

But the Tynecastle side, who lost a goal after just 30 seconds, showed determination, even although they did not play particularly well, and got their reward.

Hearts, too, may have unearthed the bargain of the season in 20-year-old striker Jim Hamilton, bought recently from first division Dundee.

He scored the winner against Raith with a piece of opportunism, and along with veteran John Robertson, he looks like forming Hearts' most potent strike-force for a long time.

``I'm now getting used to the pace of the premier division,'' said Hamilton, ``and John Robertson is brilliant to play alongside.

He talks to you all through the game - it's not all complimentary - and, hopefully, he will help me become a better player.'' Robertson believes Hamilton has a similar style to former team-mate Sandy Clark, and captain Dave McPherson, who also played alongside Clark, agreed to a certain extent.

``Jim's better looking for a start,'' said McPherson, ``but they are similar in style.

Jim is strong, confident, and good in the air.'' Yet, the day started so badly for Hearts.

In their first attack, Raith scored when Paul Ritchie slipped on the greasy surface, leaving Derek MGill with a clear run on goal.

Gilles Rousset did so well to block the striker's shot with a foot, but the defence failed to clear and Danny Lennon nipped in to shoot in off a post.

But Hearts were level five minutes later, when David Craig lost the ball to Hamilton, who sent Robertson clear.

The little striker waited until just the right moment before curling his shot round Colin Scott.

It was Robertson's 204th league goal for Hearts, leaving him just two behind all time record scorer, Jimmy Wardhaugh.

Raith had the better of things after that, but missed glaring chances and also found themselves facing Rousset, who, at times, was inspired.

Both Tony Rougier and Peter Duffield would agree with that.

Hearts, however, dug in and changed things around after an hour with Ritchie being pushed back to look after Rougier and Neil McCann replacing young Gary Naysmith.

In 73 minutes, they grabbed the winner.

Goalkeeper Scott came out to challenge Hamilton for a ball near the edge of the box, but hesitated and Hamilton took it round him before curling in a shot from an acute angle.

Said Hearts manager Jim Jefferies: ``It was a fine goal.

I think the rest of the players were getting ready to give him stick for not crossing the ball with his right foot, but he switched to his left and finished the job himself.'' Said Hamilton: ``I suppose they were expecting a cross, but when the keeper came out I saw that the goal was empty and I decided to have a go.'' Raith manager Iain Munro defended Scott, who must share the blame.

But Munro said: ``When a keeper comes out for something like that, a defender should run to the goal-line to cover for him, but that didn't happen in this case.

``The result was hard to take, for we played well and I can't fault anyone's effort.

Nobody had a bad game, but some made mistakes, and when you are down at the bottom of the table, you don't seem to get away with them.'' Next league games: Raith Rovers - Kilmarnock (a).

Hearts - Celtic (h).

TURNING POINT THE introduction of Neil McCann after an hour.

He played wide on the left with Jim Hamilton on the right, and that stretched the Raith defence.

The change also saw Paul Ritchie dropping back, and he coped well with Rovers' danger man Tony Rougier.

Taken from the Herald