Levein’s content as Hearts get job done

IF NOT exactly littered with pot holes, the road to Hampden can often prove to be a bumpy and hazardous route for SPL managers, with top flight outfits not finding the going as smooth as they would like against smaller clubs - just ask Ivano Bonetti and Franck Sauzee.

The Tennents Scottish Cup has thrown up its fair share of shocks in recent seasons as the smaller clubs have made the most of their attempt to carve out a little niche in the history of the famous competition.

With the involvement of the big guns at the third-round stage the underdogs are allowed to dream of hitting the headlines courtesy of giant-killing displays.

The bottom line for Premier League bosses, however, is to ensure that a safe passage into the fourth round is assured, irrespective of result or performance.

And that is why it was mission accomplished on Saturday as far as Hearts chief Craig Levein was concerned, the Jambos having defeated struggling First Division outfit Ross County 2-1 at Tynecastle. The margin of victory may have been narrow but, in truth, the home side were streets ahead of their opponents from the first whistle and could have won much more comfortably than the final scoreline suggests.

That his team went through by just the one goal thanks to Mark Perry’s late consolation effort will be of minor irritation to Levein, who saw his team bundled out of the CIS Cup earlier this season in Dingwall by the same opponents after a penalty shoot-out following a goalless draw at Victoria Park.

"Having tasted defeat at Dingwall we were aware of the problems they could cause," said Levein.

"I thought we were pretty anonymous up front for long spells but, to be fair to Fuller and Wales, the surface of the pitch was not conducive to them passing or running with the ball and they’re both very good at that.

"And in Mark Perry and Brian Irvine they were up against two very experienced defenders who know how to play that position very well.

"2-1 maybe takes the shine of things for us a bit, but a lot of credit has to go to Ross County. They never gave up and a lot of plaudits must go to them for their organisation, hard work and the effort they put into the game. But we are through to the next round of the cup and that is the important thing."

While the Dingwall disaster in September came in the middle of a poor spell for Hearts - it was a period which saw them win just once in nine matches - the mood in the Tynecastle camp could not have been more different going into Saturday’s cup tie.

With four wins in their last five league games and 13 points safely tucked away from those outings, it was a confident team which welcomed Neale Cooper’s Highlanders to the Capital.

The catalyst for that run has been the superb goal-scoring form of Jamaican internationalist Ricardo Fuller, and the loan star once again demonstrated his penalty box instincts with a second-half double to knock the stuffing out of the underdogs.

He broke the deadlock six minutes after the interval after picking up a pass from Stephen Simmons, who had come off the bench for the injured Thomas Flogel in the first half.

The loan star then cut in from the right before sending a left-foot shot past Tony Bullock to relieve some of the tension which had been gathering among the home fans.

And the potent front man sealed the win with 78 minutes gone after good work from Steve Fulton. The midfielder latched onto a loose pass from Richard Hastings midway inside the County half. He picked out Fuller and the striker did the rest, this time sending a right-foot effort past the helpless Bullock to net his seventh goal in six games and his eighth since joining the club in October.

"Once Ricardo sparks he either gets a shot on target or scores and I’m really pleased for the lad," said Levein. "He has put in a lot of hard work recently and deserves all the credit he is getting."

Hearts, though, could have had the match sewn up by the break. Bullock pulled off a tremendous save to deny Wales in the 15th minute.

And eight minutes later he parried a vicious shot into the path of Flogel, who blazed a shot over the top just seconds after limping back into the action after being stretchered off with a sprained anakle.

The only glimmer of hope the visitors had in the first half was when goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie miskicked an attempted clearance - probably as a result of the shocking state of the pitch - straight to the unmarked Karim Boukraa in an excellent position just inside the area. However, the County man couldn’t keep his composure and missed his kick completely as he tried to steer the ball into the net.

Between Fuller’s second-half efforts, the home side had further opportunities to make the win more comprehensive.

Bullock did well to tip a 25-yarder from Tommi Gronlund over the top and the County keeper again kept his side in the game when he saved at the feet of Simmons who was in on goal after a delightful one-two with Fuller.

"It was maybe a wee bit disappointing to have to wait so long for the second goal," added Levein.

"Their keeper had two wonderful saves in the first half and had we scored them it would have made the afternoon a lot more easier for myself and the players.

"But they had to keep going until the end as Ross County never gave up."

Cooper was left singing the praises of Fuller, the Dingwall boss the latest to join his list of admirers.

"We knew about his strengths and how dangerous he can be if allowed to run at defences," he said.

"He is a good player and is a real find for Hearts. But to come to Tynecastle and lose 2-1 to a team which has taken 13 points from a possible 15 in the league is no embarrassment for us."

Although Hearts are now through to the last 16 and have a favourable draw at home to either Arbroath or Inverness Caley Thistle later this month, it is too soon to be talking about successfully completing the journey to Hampden Park on May 4 and a repeat of their 1998 heroics.

But if Levein’s side can sustain the current level of performances - and Lady Luck stays on their side - then maybe, just maybe, the Gorgie outfit could be on their way to another memorable afternoon in Glasgow.

Taken from the Scotsman