Dark clouds of cup calamity are lifted by push for Europe

BY PAUL KIDDIE AT TYNECASTLE

Hearts 3
Dunfermline 0

WHAT a difference a week can make in football. Seven days ago dark clouds of depression were hanging over Tynecastle after Hearts were unceremoniously bundled out of the Tennents Scottish Cup by First Division Falkirk, the Jambos at a loss to explain just what went so spectacularly wrong at Brockville.

The heavy defeat perhaps gave all concerned a reality check and provided a timely reminder of just what was required for the remainder of the season from a team which had gone into the winter break riding high in third place in the Premierleague.

Three days after the third-round cup-tie, Craig Levein’s men were given the ideal opportunity to demonstrate that the woeful performance was an aberration when league business resumed with a testing trip to Pittodrie to take on Aberdeen.

Supersub Gary Wales duly popped up with a last-minute winner against the Dons to bring three vital points back to Tynecastle and the Gorgie outfit followed up that triumph with another impressive victory on Saturday, this time Dunfermline being put to the sword 3-0 thanks to goals from Scott Severin, Wales and Kevin McKenna.

The significance of the win should not be underestimated, with the Fifers one of Hearts’ main rivals for a UEFA Cup place.

The victory carried the Jambos seven points clear of Jimmy Calderwood’s side, albeit the Pars have a game in hand.

Six points out of six and two clean sheets into the bargain for new goalkeeper Tepi Moilanen has certainly been an impressive response from Levein’s side after their cup humiliation.

The clouds of depression have been swept away to be replaced by a much sunnier outlook around Gorgie, the return to form coming at just the right time with tomorrow’s CIS Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park looming large on the horizon.

The back-to-back wins have consolidated the Jambos’ third place behind the Old Firm and have once again underlined the team’s resolve to respond to adversity.

Earlier in the season Motherwell dished out a remarkable 6-1 hammering at Fir Park to leave the fans shaking their heads in disbelief.

On that occasion Levein’s side responded with maximum points from their next three league matches and the Tynecastle boss has been delighted with his players’ attitude on this occasion.

"As much as we were embarrassed by our performance last week, I think the lads more than made up for that on Saturday and they can be proud of themselves," he said.

"The Dunfermline game was important because of last week and I don’t think people realised how much we were hurting after the Falkirk game.

"It was important to show there were valid excuses for that and we would try our utmost to get over it.

"With Saturday being our first game at home since the cup-tie it was important to show our supporters that it was a one-off.

"I was delighted with the victory and I saw a lot of things to be happy with."

There had been concerns going into the game over the fitness of a number of Levein’s key players with Stephane Mahe, Severin, Andy Kirk and Mark de Vries all doubtful.

While the latter two had to be content with a place on the bench, Mahe and Severin turned in gutsy displays as the home side snuffed out the considerable threat of Stevie Crawford and Craig Brewster. With Andy Webster continuing in defence after doing well at Pittodrie, Kevin McKenna was utilised up front alongside Wales who kept his place after his telling contribution in midweek and the two front men ran themselves into the ground for the cause.

There wasn’t too much for the fans to shout about in the opening period but any football that did come was played by the men in maroon and they eventually grabbed the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Severin combined well with Alan Maybury on the left and the former Leeds United defender was denied by a fingertip save from Derek Stillie and it was from the resultant corner the home side got their noses in front.

Jean-Louis Valois’ cross towards the back post found Severin charging in and the Scotland midfielder sent a diving header flashing past Stillie with the last touch of the half.

Two minutes after the break and the imposing Webster, who must surely be knocking on the door of a Scotland Under-21 call-up, put in a crunching tackle on Crawford and released Wales. The striker in turn found McKenna who played in Phil Stamp and the Englishman was only denied by a splendid save from Stillie.

The Jambos looked in the mood at this stage and the lead was doubled in the 49th minute. A long ball from Maybury was flicked on by McKenna - the Canadian won almost everything that came his way in the air - and Wales made the most of some slack defending on the edge of the box to steer home his second goal in five days.

Maybury could have added another but saw Stillie turn his powerful shot behind while Stamp was unfortunate to see a shot come crashing off the crossbar midway through the second half.

The best chance the visitors had came 14 minutes from time when Brewster found space some eight yards from goal but Moilanen produced a magnificent point-blank save to dent any hopes of a Pars fightback.

Any aspirations Calderwood may have had of snatching a point from the game - and they must have been faint hopes - disappeared with the 80th-minute dismissal of Scott Wilson, the defender picking up a second caution for a foul on Wales after having been already booked for dissent.

A feature of Hearts’ display at the weekend was their patient passing game and they rounded off an emphatic win with McKenna applying the finishing touches to another fine move.

Calderwood admitted afterwards his team had got exactly what their performance had deserved.

"It was the same old story here, we were outfought and outplayed," he said.

"Hearts took the lead deservedly so 30 seconds from half time but to be honest it could have been more.

"I know what is required to win difficult away games and I didn’t see it out there and I can’t stand that as a manager.

"We can talk to the players all we like but it’s up to them to do it on the park and we got what we deserved on Saturday - nothing."

Taken from the Scotsman