Gronlund comes in from the cold to lift Hearts and draw the sting from Killie’s class kids

Kilmarnock 3
Hearts 3

A LOT has been said in the past few days encouraging new Scotland manager Berti Vogts to refresh the Scotland set-up and give youth a chance. If he is to heed that advice you can be sure he will be watching these two teams more than once or twice over the coming weeks.

While both sides have a fair compliment of youngsters, it is Killie who have the greater proliferation of potential and the more on-form performers.

With a backbone of experience such as Gordon Marshall in goal, Kevin McGowne at the heart of defence, midfield workhorse Ally Mitchell and Tommy Johnson up front, they are surrounded by kids young enough to be their sons. The most encouraging aspect as far as Vogts and even the most apathetic Scotland fans are concerned is that they are all homegrown and are doing pretty well considering the inconsistency and lapses in concentration that are part and parcel of youth.

’Hearts are making a habit of last-gasp charges to dig themselves out of trouble’

Killie are now sitting fifth in the SPL, two points ahead of nearest challengers Hearts. Although there is little but prestige on offer to those who make the top six at the split, the chance to complete the run-in in the company of the Old Firm will do them good.

The Killie youngsterd seem to like mixing it with the big boys. It is a trait that will make them all the more appealing to the new national coach, as will the resilience and never-say-die approach they displayed in this match. Vogts has said he loves the passion of the Scottish temperament but as a master of the modern game, he knows that has to be allied to greater technical ability.

A wonderfully-joyous little bundle, in that regard, is Stephen Murray. A kid with plenty of skill, he has a heart that must surely be too big for that tiny body. Like a Weeble that wobbles but won’t stay down, he bounces back up from every clattering. Tricky players like him seem destined to a life of pain, yet still he tortures defences with gusto.

A handful in the first half, when his corners and darting runs and crosses posed questions of a Hearts defence who looked on gingerly, afraid to lunge in at someone with such nimble footwork, his team-mates couldn’t capitalise on his service in the opening 45 minutes, His true worth, however, became apparent after the restart, when he was involved in all three of his side’s goals.

Hearts had gone in at half-time leading 1-0 and while they will argue that attempts on goal were fairly evenly spread at that stage, there is no doubt that Killie were gaining the upper hand and that the lead flattered the visitors.

Hearts, missing the terrier-tackling of Tommi Gronlund, who was being rested on the bench, and the creative passing of the sickbed-stranded Stevie Fulton, were being stretched by the end-to-end action and the movement and pace of such a spritely home side. They had had chances to score: most notably through Scott Severin in the opening minute and a Peter Canero back-pass that could so easily have resulted in an own goal minutes later. Marshall also had to collect off the top of Gary Wales’ head inches from the goal-line.

But Marshall could do little to stop Stephane Mahe’s 39th-minute effort, a dipping shot from inside the box. The Frenchman had had a ‘goal’ disallowed for offside minutes earlier and earned himself a booking for comments made when he did finally give his team the lead.

Instead of knocking the stuffing out of Bobby Williamson’s side, though, it seemed to strengthen their resolve and in the first 20 minutes of the second half they appeared to have killed Hearts off with three goals. The first came from Murray’s cross when Craig Dargo got in front of his marker and clipped it into the net. Five minutes later the 18-year-old knocked the ball back into the fray and Johnson turned and curled a shot through the defence and past the keeper. The third was no more than Murray deserved. A short corner was pushed back out to him by Dargo and his left-footer left Antti Niemi stranded.

But while Vogts could do himself a favour by running the rule over Steven Pressley, when he takes in a Hearts game, the Tynecastle side will impress more with desire than deftness.

They say you make your own luck, and Craig Levein’s men are beginning to make a habit of pulling off a last-gasp charge to dig themselves out of trouble and turn defeats into draws and draws into victories. It is not very good for their fans’ blood pressure but should ensure them survival in the top six in four games’ time.

They pulled it off this time with the help of another of Kilmarnock’s promising youngsters, Garry Hay. A weak clearance in the 82nd minute allowed young Graham Weir to chase through and, having knocked the ball past Marshall, he was felled for the penalty, which captain Pressley converted. Game on.

Then, with just five minutes left on the watch, Weir, who, along with fellow under-18 team-mate Paul McMullan had helped revitalise a flagging Hearts, controlled a long ball and knocked it to Gronlund, on since the 64th minute. His cracking long-range goal earned his side a deserved share of the points.

Taken from the Scotsman