JAMBO JETS; Jeff's silver lining after 36-year wait.

Hearts, Hearts, glorious Hearts! A trophy famine of 36 painful years ended amid a feast of unbridled joy.

It was a story of two spot-kicks. One given to the Jambos, the other denied to Rangers in a nerve-shredding finish.

But who could grudge a club that has suffered so much their day in the sun?

They often looked as if they might be swept away as the Gers fans paid homage to their departing heroes and tried to will them over the line on a wave of passion.

But Hearts refused to buckle. They regained their composure in a cool, controlled display through the fervour as this Light Blues era ended with the bitter taste of defeat.

Colin Cameron's first minute penalty and Stephane Adam's predatory second clinched it before Jim Jefferies' side survived a courageous late onslaught that produced a consolation from Ally McCoist.

So much pressure, so much debate has centred on referees this season and within 33 SECONDS Celtic Park was a simmering bowl of controversy as Willie Young awarded Hearts a hugely debatable penalty.

It was a thrilling run from the bleached-blond Stevie Fulton that sparked panic on the left-hand side of Gers' box and he tumbled to the deck under Ian Ferguson's tackle with Sergio Porrini toiling.

My gut reaction was Fulton had thrown himself and TV evidence proved the incident was OUTSIDE the box. So early in the game Young's courage had to be commended but he got it WRONG - simple as that.

It was an incredible start but amidst the tumult Cameron kept his nerve and thumped the opener high into Andy Goram's top left corner.

Rangers roared back and both Rino Gattuso and Brian Laudrup tested the brilliant Gilles Rousset with drives that the Frenchman - whose 1996 howler inspired Gers' 5-1 Final triumph - held well.

In his swansong Ibrox boss Walter Smith - who had allowed No.2 Archie Knox to lead out the team in a touching gesture - had seen his plans ripped to shreds in the first minute.

He stayed in the stand at first, wrapped up in a fiercely contested occasion. And in a game so often tainted by cynicism as the everyday fans drift further away from the pounds 25,000- a-week superstar, this Cup Final stubbornly dragged you back to the game's emotional roots.

It was the clash of two fans turned managers of the club they love. Jefferies was a 12-year-old kid on the Hampden terraces the last time Hearts lifted a trophy - the League Cup - with a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock on October 27, 1962.

Now with the boost of the quickest Cup Final strike since Derek Johnstone's 41.8 second goal AGAINST Hearts in 1976 Jeff sought his club's first silverware since Kruschev, Kennedy and the Cuban missile dominated the front pages.

Smith, who used to travel to watch his idols on the Carmyle Rangers Supporters' bus, was bringing his glory- laden reign to a close in his 385th game as boss. Before this he'd lost just 62.

As Jeff craved the end of that famine Smith hunted his 14th domestic honour in seven years in the Ibrox hotseat and after that nightmare start his Gers side were storming forward.

Lorenzo Amoruso shelled an unbelievable shot from 35 yards but Rousset pawed away.

All of a sudden, though, Hearts began to get free of the shackles with Fulton always the orchestrator.

At the end of one flowing move Neil McCann clearly dived in the box when he clashed with Richard Gough. Somehow ref Young decided that wasn't a booking then handed the winger a 40th minute yellow card when he WAS fouled by Jocky Bjorklund.

Right on half-time Gattuso freed Porrini for a cross that was only scrambled clear to Laudrup and his 12- yard shot trundled agonisingly past Rousset only to strike the post.

Veteran gunslinger McCoist was introduced to the fray at the break, replacing Stensaas, as the Ibrox men switched to four at the back.

Gers poured forward on a wave of emotion from the support watching the dying day of a dynasty and McCoist showed a clumsy touch inside the box from a Gattuso cross before he rattled a pass from Laudrup into the sidenetting.

Then seven minutes into the second half the dominant Gers were rocked by the Jambos' second.

Rousset launched forward a free-kick and as Amoruso dithered Adam stole in to rifle a diagonal shot across Goram into the far corner despite the keeper's despairing touch.

Now Rangers were deep in the mire and Durie picked up the game's third booking for hacking down McCann as they tried to recover their senses.

And Thomas Flogel was allowed a free header from a Fulton free-kick that would have sealed it but the ball bulleted straight at Goram.

Gers looked disconsolate, a beaten and spent force but still you sensed they might have one last spark.

When the chance in the box did drop it came to the man they wanted from Durie's long throw but 35-year-old McCoist was left cursing his luck for once from just six yards as Rousset spread himself to save magnificently.

McCall, whose Gers days look to be numbered, then trudged off to be replaced by Ian Durrant who at once injected some much- needed class into the Light Blues' midfield.

He created more in 23 minutes than the rest did in the whole match.

But whatever he served up to old pal Ally it was foundering on the rock of Young Player of the Year Paul Ritchie who had a storming 90 minutes.

Surely, he must be the first pick for Craig Brown's new Scotland after France 98. Yet Ally just needs one glimpse and Gattuso threaded through a telling ball for him to drill past Rousset from 20 yards with just nine minutes left.

It was game on and incredibly there was more drama as McCoist hurtled clear to be decked by David Weir.

For me this WAS a penalty and inside the box but Young gave a free-kick, Laudrup shot tamely against the wall and it was over. A Final that will long live in your mind for the sheer unadulterated drama - and that tale of two penalties.

Taken from the Daily Record