Adam too classy for Raith

IAN BROADLEY
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20 Aug 1997

RAITH ROVERS 1, HEARTS 2 FRENCHMAN Stefane Adam experienced the ecstasy and the agony of Scottish football last night after firing Hearts through to the quarter-finals of the Coca-Cola Cup at Starks Park.

The Frenchman, who scored the match winner 64 minutes into a cup tie which kept the fans on tenterhooks throughout, was then red-carded in 78 minutes.

After being fouled by Raith Rovers' midfielder Danny Lennon, he retaliated and the pair fell to the ground trading blows, which left referee Jim Herald no option but to send the pair off as players from both sides rushed in.

Adam later admitted to confusion and disappointment at his ordering off.

He said: ''I didn't punch Lennon and he didn't punch me.

I think he fell and after that he just pulled my hair.

''I believe a yellow card for him and I would have been a good decision.

It was good to score a goal but so disappointing not to finish the game.'' His manager Jim Jefferies had another view.

He said: ''Adam says that his hair was pulled, which is a painful experience.

There was a wee scuffle and the ref saw fit to red-card them.

''We never started this tie properly and when that happens it is always difficult to get back into the game.

The players showed character in doing this but the only positive aspect for me is that we reached the quarter-finals.'' Hearts' second-half performance was in stark contrast to the first when they were outplayed by their first division opponents.

Raith matched Hearts in every area.

Despite failing to consolidate some fine first-half work, Raith's display augurs well for the future.

Raith's one real threat was the pace of Neil McCann on the left flank.

The tie was only minutes old when McCann, who destroyed Aberdeen on Saturday, made his presence felt.

He burst clear to deliver a cross which Dutch keeper Guido van de Kamp cut out expertly.

Undaunted, Raith hit back and veteran midfielder Dave Kirkwood swerved a 20-yard free kick fractionally off target.

In 16 minutes Raith again threatened to make the breakthrough when a 60-yard lob by Keith Fotheringham caught the Hearts defence square to allow Peter Duffield to drive from close range.

His attempt was blocked by Neil Pointon, then keeper Gilles Rousset mopped up the loose ball under pressure from Danny Lennon.

Seconds later a McCann cross found Stefane Adam, who displayed superb control to power an angled drive which tested the Raith keeper to the limit.

But as the tie unfolded it was Raith who grew stronger in their conviction that a place in the quarter-finals was attainable.

That belief was underlined in 25 minutes when Lennon picked out Keith Wright who forced Rousset into an athletic save.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies was warned about his conduct as pressure mounted on his team who were not playing to script.

In 42 minutes a free kick from defender Stephen Frail should have brought a Hearts goal but an unmarked McCann headed wide.

Immediately Raith came back and defender Stefano Salvatore had to haul down Ian Cameron as he burst through to the edge of the penalty area.

The former Hibs midfielder took the kick himself and almost scored with a swerving shot which dipped over the bar.

In the dying seconds of a highly competitive first half, another free kick from Cameron found Wright but his header was brilliantly parried by Rousset.

It took Hearts all of 50 minutes to post their first honour of the match and that signalled the start of a frenzied spell.

Three minutes later Raith secured the goal their efforts merited.

Lennon broke on the right to deliver a perfect cross for Wright to beat Rousset with a powerful header from six yards.

But before the celebrations of the Fife support had ended, Hearts had equalised.

Again the goal came from a free kick taken by Frail and defender David Weir rose unchallenged to equalise with a glancing header.

Hearts' confidence came flooding back and they went on to gain victory through Frenchman Stefane Adam.

In 64 minutes he scored his first goal for the Tynecastle club following his move from FC Metz.

Receiving the ball from Steve Fulton on the left, he displayed his class, drifting past two defenders before drilling a shot low inside the near post.

Both sides made substitutions but, down to 10 men and their energy exhausted on a tough night, neither came near to scoring again.

Teams: Raith Rovers - Van de Kamp, McEwan, Fotheringham, Kirkwood, Craig, Millen, Lennon, Millar, Duffield, Wright, Cameron.

Subs: Kirk, Mitchell, Twaddle.

Hearts - Rousset, Frail, Plointon, Weir, Salvatore, Ritchie, McCann, Fulton, Robertson, Cameron, Adam.

Subs: Murray, Flogel, Hamilton.

Referee: J Herald (Newton Mearns).

Taken from the Herald