Hearts 2 Dunfermline 0

By Simon Stone, PA Sport

Two goals from cult hero Colin Cameron all but guaranteed Hearts' survival and condemned Dunfermline to the drop in the battle of the basement at Tynecastle tonight.

On a night when Dunfermline had to grab all three points to give themselves a realistic hope of avoiding relegation, Cameron broke their resolve with two goals of impressive quality.

After a first half which had seen his side outbattled, Cameron latched onto Stephane Adam's cushioned header and powered a fierce drive past Lee Butler's outstretched hand and into the left-hand corner of his goal.

It was a 55th-minute strike worthy of winning any game - and equally as important as his Cup final winner against Rangers last season - but Cameron was not finished.

With eight minutes remaining and Dunfermline beginning to get desperate, the Scotland international arrived unattended in the penalty area, chipping the advancing Butler after Darren Jackson and Scott Severin had done the approach work.

It gave Hearts a seven-point cushion over Dunfermline, who now find themselves in the unfortunate position of having to avoid defeat against Celtic next weekend if they are to have any chance in escaping First Division football next season.

It was tough luck on the Pars, who deserved some reward for their efforts, but you pay for missed chances at this level and that is why demotion awaits.

In its own way, the game was just as important as last night's Old Firm confrontation but none of the vitriol on view at Celtic Park yesterday was evident on a sultry Edinburgh night.

In a largely uninspiring opening period, Dunfermline certainly looked capable of grabbing the win their survival hopes depended on.

Three times in the first 20 minutes, Hearts keeper Gilles Rousset was forced to save with varying degrees of difficulty.

Marc Miller's effort bothered him most, the Pars midfield man going through a crowd of bodies but Rousset clutching the ball at the second attempt.

The Fifers should already have been one up at that point, Jason Dair and Andy Smith combining to blow the best chance of a the first 45 minutes.

Dair was free in the box when he blasted straight at Rousset's legs and, as the ball looped free, Smith could only nod tamely over.

Hearts in contrast failed to create anything so clear cut, Cameron belting a couple of efforts over from the edge of the box before Gary McSwegan brought a full length save from Butler in the last minute of the half.

Darren Jackson flitted in and out but Adam was a largely anonymous figure.

The introduction of Gary Naysmith for Rob McKinnon at the interval failed to quell the Dunfermline optimism.

But what the visitors did not have was a clinical goalscorer to win them the game.

Smith wasted another chance to open the scoring when he headed straight at Rousset and Cameron's thunderbolt only served as a chilling reminder of the Dunfermline man's profligacy.

The Hearts fans leapt to their feet to acclaim their hero and Jackson had almost made it two before they took their seats once more, lashing over from a central position as Dunfermline minds wandered.

Spurred on by the desperate nature of their plight, the visitors looked for any opportunity to attack and consequently left gaping holes at the back.

Adam went on one mazy run but ran out of energy before hitting a shot which bobbled wide.

The French striker with the new Hearts contract then headed wide when it seemed easier to score as Naysmith supplied the crosses.

Smith was robbed of possession inside the Hearts' area just as he was about to pull the trigger after a major run.

But it was not Dunfermline's night and Cameron's second only confirmed the dreadful truth.

Teams

Hearts: Rousset, Ritchie, Adam (Kirk 88), Cameron, Jackson, Locke, McKinnon (Naysmith 46), Pressley, Murray, Severin,McSwegan (Guerin 74).

Subs Not Used: McPherson, McKenzie.

Booked: Pressley.

Goals: Cameron 55, 81.

Dunfermline: Butler, Shields, Coyle, Tod, Ireland, Millar, Smith, Petrie (Graham 71), Thomson, Dair (Shaw 76), Dolan. Subs Not Used: Squires, Ferguson, Hay.

Booked: Petrie, Dolan.

Att: 15,176

Ref: K Clark (Paisley).


Taken from sportinglife.com