Jackson steals show as Hearts stage revival Collymore is back in action again, but Fulham are defeated at Tynecastle

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22 Jul 1999

A vexatious prima donna or a misunderstood enigma? Those who would plump for the latter are presumably part of an obscure minority, and there is no doubt that Fulham's on-loan striker Stan Collymore is as famous for his antics off the park as he is for his achievements on it.

Having found himself on a three-month loan deal at Fulham, Collymore, at just 28 is now involved in a vital race against time.

After spending the bulk of last season sparring with John Gregory, and failing to make a name for himself at Villa Park, the striker's value has depreciated quite spectacularly from an astonishing #7million to a mere #1m.

Aided by a squad of Harrods bouncers, the player attempted to relaunch a troubled career, which has been marred by tabloid allegations and sporadic visits to expensive councillors, at Tynecastle last night, where all eyes were firmly fixed upon him.

Anyone who harboured any doubts about the striker's ability before the game would surely have confessed the error of their ways last night.

Collymore caused all manner of discomfort in the Hearts defence, and it is obvious that a player of his pedigree would not look out of place in any of the major Scottish sides.

Fulham took the lead in their first real foray upfield, and inevitably Collymore was involved in their sixth-minute goal.

His one-two with Peschisolido, set him up and, although Paul Ritchie got a valiant leg in the way of the ball's projectory, it rebounded perfectly to Geff Horsfield, who slotted the ball past McKenzie in the Hearts goal.

It could all have started so differently.

Prior to the Londoners goal, Hearts squandered two opportunities to open the scoring.

In the third minute, Darren Jackson won possession on the right flank and after some neat play with Andy Kirk he floated an inviting cross into the Fulham penalty area where Colin Cameron really should have finished the move by putting the ball in the net.

Seconds later, Cameron was the sinner again when a long ball by Steve Fulton cleverly dipped behind the Fulham defence to leave Cameron one on one with Taylor, however, the goalkeeper collected.

At the opposite end of the park, Ritchie showed why he is the subject of incessant transfer speculation with a finely timed tackle, which halted Collymore in his tracks, after the striker burst forward on the break.

On the half-hour mark, Horsfield almost grabbed his second of the evening with a 20-yard drive, which McKenzie could only palm away before Ritchie booted the ball out of play.

However, Fulham's second of the night was just around the corner.

In 31 minutes, the visitors capitalised on a mix-up in the Hearts midfield between Grant Murray and Jackson.

Davis threaded the ball through to Horsfield, who subsequently fed Collymore.

The striker side-stepped his marker before casually rolling the ball low into the bottom right-hand corner.

Collymore almost added Fulham's third when he let loose with a rasping 25-yard drive, which Hearts were thankful to see sneak past the post.

Collymore was replaced by John Solako at half-time, and, without him, Fulham toiled to instill the dominance they enjoyed in the opening period.

Slowly, but surely, the Londoners gradually lost their grip of the contest, and allowed Hearts to force their way back into the game.

They pressurised the Fulham defence and Darren Jackson pulled one back in 56 minutes when he headed Severin's cross low into the bottom left hand corner.

The goal appeared to give the hosts a tangible lift, and this coupled with the arrival of Juanjo made Hearts look far livelier.

It was no coincidence then that when parity was restored Juanjo was heavily involved.

His pace caused problems for the visitors defence, before he found Fulton at the edge of the box, and his cross was converted once again by the head of Jackson and into the back of the net.

In 72 minutes, a jubilant Juanjo gave Hearts the lead for the first time in the game.

As before, he collected from Fulton and ran past the Fulham defence before sinking his shot low into the right-hand corner of Taylor's goal.

Jim Jefferies will certainly be delighted at the way in which his side overcame a two-goal deficit.

However, he will be alarmed at the careless way Hearts frequently lost possession.

Hearts - McKenzie, Pressley, Flogel, Severin, Murray, Ritchie, McSwegan, Fulton, Kirk, Cameron, Jackson.

Substitutes - Rousset, Makel, Leclercq, Quitongo, Juanjo, Jenkinson.

Fulham - Taylor, Neilson, Brevett, Melville, Coleman, Symons, Davis, Clark, Horsfield, Collymore, Peschisolido.

Substitutes - Morgan, Hahnamann, Trollope, Uhlenbeek, Solako.

Referee - D McDonald.