There's more to come from Hearts says delighted manager Jefferies

Jim Reynolds
Share

6 Oct 1997

Motherwell 1 Hearts 4

NOBODY who has seen Hearts this season - I have watched them in their last two matches - should be surprised to find them top of the premier division.

They deserve to be there, and emphasised the point at Fir Park on Saturday.

Suddenly there is a genuine challenge to the Old Firm in the shape of a huge wave of confidence around Tynecastle for the first time since they ''lost'' the championship in the closing minutes of the 1985-86 season.

This present Hearts side is even better than those lads who had to suffer the bitter disappointment eleven years ago.

''Hearts, Hearts, glorious Hearts,'' the anthem of the Tynecastle fans, seems to have a ring of truth about it now, Just as they did against Kilmarnock in the previous match, the Edinburgh side killed off the challenge of Motherwell early on.

Three goals up after just 20 minutes, they looked pretty awesome.

Motherwell got a lifeline seconds before half time when they scored from a penalty, but there was never any danger of a Hearts lapse.

Manager Jim Jefferies said: ''We are top of the league on merit and the players are confident about what they are doing.

There is a lot more to come from this side, but we are not getting carried away.

''There are so many things about which to be pleased.

The defence is solid and there is so much movement by the front players which gives the midfield men so many options.'' That was obvious in the early stages at Fir Park on Saturday.

With six minutes on the clock, Stefan Adam showed great pace and control before cutting the ball back for Colin Cameron to score and, seven minutes later, Jim Hamilton sent Adam through the middle with a precision pass.

The French striker sped away from the defence and beat the keeper with ease.

After 20 minutes it was all over when a slick move between Alan McManus and David Weir ended with Hamilton heading the ball down for Neil McCann to score the third goal.

Eliphas Shivute won the home side a penalty just before the interval when he was pulled down by Weir and Tommy Coyne scored from the spot and, for the first 15 minutes of the second half, Motherwell made a real effort to salvage something from the game.

Hearts, however, dug in and it was no surprise when they grabbed a fourth goal after 70 minutes.

Motherwell were pressing forward when Simo Valakari lost the ball to Cameron in the Hearts half.

The little midfielder raced through the middle and slipped the ball to Hamilton, who banged the ball in despite the fact that there were three defenders and the keeper on the goal-line.

Motherwell manager Alex McLeish paid tribute to Hearts afterwards when he said they deserved to be top of the table, but he added: ''I'm baffled, because I didn't think we played badly.

Normally, after a defeat like that I would be saying we were woeful, but I can't say that.

''Certainly, we didn't defend well and when my players see those goals on television they will cringe.

They were guilty of ball watching, but at half time I thought we still had a chance.

''At the start of the second half, Gilles Rousset had a great save from Tommy Coyne and we battled well, but were then caught with a sucker punch.

Hopefully, our younger players can learn from this.'' The day, however, belonged to Hearts and confidence is high that they can stay at the top, especially when they point out that of their eight league matches played only two have been at home.

Their next match, in two weeks time, is against Celtic at Tynecastle and, as Jim Jefferies says, there will not be an empty seat in the place.

Next league matches: Motherwell - Kilmarnock (a).

Hearts - Celtic (h).

q HEARTS defender Dave McPherson has suffered a set-back in his battle to regain fit-ness.

Out since the start of the season after a knee operation, he had hoped to make his comeback in the match against Celtic.

However, McPherson has now been told to rest after his knee swelled up following a workout.

He said: ''I have been jogging on my own over the past week or so and the fitness side is not a problem.

''But I do need to strengthen the knee and, unfortunately, it has swollen up a bit over the past few days.

''The one thing I don't want to do is rush back too quickly and damage the knee again.

I want to make sure I am right and that's why I don't set any targets.

''In any case, even when the knee is fully recovered, I'll have to get a few games under my belt before I'll be in the reckoning for the first team.'' OUR manager Jim Jefferies' instructions are to go at teams and not give them any space at all.

I believe we are quite frightening at times and our pace on the break is hard for any side to cope with - Hearts midfielder Colin Cameron, whose first goal started the rout of Motherwell.

Taken from the Herald