It's all Wales and Hearty

MOIRA GORDON AT TYNECASTLE

HEARTS 3
SEVERIN 45; WALES 49; MCKENNA 90
DUNFERMLINE 0

WHEN it comes to knocking the stuffing out of rival teams, Hearts are becoming something akin to specialists. Pre-match and at half-time the air was filled with radio re-runs of derby commentaries, where last gasp winners and never-say-die fightbacks seem to have become part and parcel of the Tynecastle package.

And then there was that 90th minute winner at Pittodrie midweek, which helped them bounce back from last week’s Scottish Cup humiliation. As far as the fans were concerned, those three points could only be considered the first instalment required to wipe the slate clean post-Falkirk, but yesterday they made the next repayment.

While another late winner would have sufficed, it would have been inadvisable for Hearts to let the tension build inside Tynecastle when memories of the Brockville debacle were still so fresh in the mind, which is possibly why they exhaled with a collective sigh of relief when Scott Severin chose the last minute of the first half rather than the second to open the scoring and plump up a one-goal cushion Dunfermline would never claw back.

But if that was a dent to Dunfermline, who started the game fourth in the Premierleague and with high hopes of closing the gap on the side one place above, Gary Wales’ latest goal contribution two minutes after the restart was the killer blow. It was also enough to overhaul what had been a scrappy and tedious match.

For 45 minutes both teams had failed to settle and the long-range efforts were indicative of the midfield skirmish that was trying to serve as a football match. Despite all the huffing and puffing they were never likely to bring this house down.

But Dunfermline, who had been much of a muchness when compared to their hosts throughout the first half, began to chase the game at 0-2, unwilling to concede defeat. More aggressive and driven, they now bore down on goal with more intent than they had mustered in the opening gambits.

And while that passion had its positive connotations, it also led to the premature departure of Scott Wilson, who added one reckless challenge to earlier dissent to secure two bookings and first dibs at the shower in the 80th minute. As he left the playing arena, he took with him all hopes of a Dunfermline comeback.

The victory may have allowed Hearts to extend the gap between them and their nearest challengers for a place in Europe next term, but anyone who left Tynecastle at 4.45pm thinking this result rules Jimmy Calderwood’s men out of the running would do well to think again.

On this occasion they left it too late to challenge a side who were resilient, but when they relaxed Dunfermline stepped up a gear or two, despite being without first-team regulars such as Scott Thomson. Injuries led Calderwood to introducing newcomer Ged Brannan into the side, and while he could do little to assert real authority, he did enough to suggest he is the kind of player the Fife side have been missing all term. Since the departure of Ian Ferguson they have lacked bite in that department, and in the loan-signing from Wigan, they might have located it.

But when it comes to steel it is Hearts who can surely boast, mentally at least, of vast quantities. Every time they are knocked down, as they were against Motherwell earlier this season and again against Falkirk last week, they just scramble back to their feet. That is something that not only will placate the fans; it is a trait that delights their manager. "As much as we were embarrassed last week, today the players can be proud of themselves," said Craig Levein. "Today was important because of last week. It was our first game at home since then and it was important that we showed the fans it was a one-off."

Right from the off you sensed how desperate they were for a win, and while genuine chances were as rare around Derek Stillie’s goal as they were at the other end of the field, there were certainly more players lining up for a pot-shot.

Phil Stamp, pushed wide because of Levein’s belief that the central pairing of Neil MacFarlane and Scott Severin offer his defence greater protection, was one of the first to fire in a shot that narrowly missed the target, followed by Jean-Louis Valois, Kevin McKenna - playing up front in the absence of Mark De Vries - Gary Wales and Alan Maybury before the first 44 minutes had elapsed. Dunfermline’s tally was paltry in comparison.

When the first goal came there was a quick ball back into the area from the hero-worshipped Frenchman that looked as though it would fly across the face of goal, until Severin darted in at the back post and ducked to head past Stillie.

Two minutes after the break and an embarrassing tangle between Wilson, Lee Bullen and Stillie finally saw the ball break to the feisty Wales, who refused to give them the time to settle the matter and stabbed it into the net. That goal gave the match the kiss of life it needed, but it would have taken more than a bit of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to revive Dunfermline’s hopes. Stamp almost made it three but his header was palmed over by Stillie.

Captain for the day, Stevie Crawford almost reduced the deficit in 65 minutes but Tepi Moilanen blocked and 10 minutes later he made sure he had earned his win bonus with a stunning close-range save from Craig Brewster. Clear-cut chances they may have been, but no more genuine that those mustered by Hearts, the best coming from Stamp, who cracked a fierce drive off the crossbar. The best, that is, until McKenna made it 3-0.

It was the result of more calamity cuts from Dunfermline, with a simple clearance clattering off Wales and ricocheting to the Canadian. Another last-gasp goal, but the blessing for the Hearts fans was that this time the game was long since won.

Taken from the Scotsman