Hearts prove that they're no lambs to the slaughter

PAUL KIDDIE

IF much of the pre-match talk was to believed, Hearts were supposed to be no more than lambs to the slaughter at Parkhead on Saturday.

Celtic had roared back to the top of the Premierleague for the first time in five months with the midweek destruction of Motherwell at Fir Park rekindling hopes of a third championship title in a row for Martin O’Neill.

The visit of the Jambos was therefore reckoned to be all about not just winning the game but an opportunity for the UEFA Cup finalists to give their goal difference a major boost.

Such talk was nothing if not disrespectful to the Tynecastle men who it should have been remembered had underlined their credentials for Europe with a 2-1 win over the champions just last month.

Hearts boss Craig Levein may not have used such dismissive talk to inspire his players in the dressing-room before the match but he had every right to.

Nearly 60,000 fans had descended on the east end of Glasgow to witness the ritual slaying, the home fans expecting to see their team lay siege to Hearts’ goal.

The visitors, after all, were there for the taking. They were going into the game with major selection problems with both Scotland defender Andy Webster and team-mate Austin McCann - the man who had sent the Celts spinning to defeat in the Capital with his glorious late strike - suspended after their sending offs against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

That meant a reshuffle at the back for Levein, who recalled youngster Robbie Neilson at right-back with Alan Maybury switching to the other side of the park.

With Canadian Kevin McKenna continuing up front in the absence of the injured Mark de Vries, Scott Severin dropped back to centre half which meant that skipper Steven Pressley was the only defender in his usual position from the back four which had lined up at Kilmarnock seven days earlier. But if Celtic thought the changes would upset the Jambos and in turn assist their cause, they were badly mistaken.

It was clear from the first whistle that the Gorgie outfit was not just there to make up the numbers but in fact prepared to have a real go.

The last time the teams met at Parkhead, De Vries had grabbed two goals as Hearts gave Celtic a real fright before the home side eventually ran out 4-2 victors.

And from the start on Saturday the hosts knew they were in a game, Hearts enjoying good early possession and forcing the first corner with three minutes on the clock.

Maybury had a key role to perform in his new position in trying to subdue Didier Agathe - a job he did tremendously well - and a crunching tackle on the winger in the 11th minute summed up the determination which Levein was looking for from his men.

The former Hibs star has dismantled some of the best defences in Europe this season but he was rarely a threat on Saturday as his every move was shadowed by the tenacious Irishman. Maybury, in fact, twice apologised to the Celtic fans in the main stand for powerfully belting the ball into their midst from close range such was his commitment in the tackle.

McKenna almost shocked the hosts in the 12th minute, the Canadian seeing his crisp left-foot shot after a neat turn on the edge of the area well saved by Javier Sanchez Broto. Celtic responded with a header from Henrik Larsson which flew wide and then Maybury sent a 20-yarder just off target.

Neilson then produced a superb block to deny Larsson and from the resultant corner which was cleared only as far as Stilian Petrov, the Bulgarian’s half-volley fell to the Swede whose shot from six yards was brilliantly turned behind by Tepi Moilanen. Six minutes later, though, and the Finn was beaten from the penalty spot.

Last week Levein was left raging by the inept refereeing of Dougie McDonald at Rugby Park and another crucial decision went against the Jambos this weekend, Mike McCurry being swayed by the crowd’s appeals after Chris Sutton, who was trying the shield the ball from Pressley, went down all too easily in the box under pressure from the Hearts captain.

Alan Thompson converted the spot-kick despite a brave attempt by Moilanen for what proved to be the winner and it was easy to empathise with the Gorgie side’s sense of injustice.

"Chris Sutton is an experienced player and Elvis was close to him which I would ask him to be," said Levein. "As long as the ball is played up to Mark de Vries when we play Celtic at Tynecastle the next time and we get the same then I’ll have no complaints.

"Of course the referee was swayed by the noise of the fans. It is a human reaction. It has always been the same at Parkhead or Ibrox, nothing has changed."

Levein’s plans weren’t helped by the enforced withdrawal of Phil Stamp at the interval, the powerful midfielder having injured himself after just 20 seconds when he seemed to overstretch.

A Parkhead crowd in full cry can be intimidating for any visiting side but the silence of the fans in the second period told its own story as nerves began to fray in the home ranks in the face of spirited resistance.

Hearts gave as good as they got with Moilanen hardly having to make a save of note after the break apart from holding a Petrov drive.

With just the narrowest of advantages for Celtic there was always the possibility the Jambos could snatch a deserved point from the game although without the considerable presence of De Vries up front that was always going to be difficult.

Substitute Stephen Simmons had that chance of glory eight minutes from time but the youngster lacked composure after turning Joos Valgaeren and smashed his near post shot well wide of target.

A minute later and Agathe broke free of his shackles to crack a shot off the underside of the bar with Moilanen beaten. It would have been rough luck on the visitors, who again showed they can compete with the best in the league.

"I have mixed emotions about the game," said Levein. "I was really proud of the way we played but disappointed at the same time. We went to Parkhead to try to win the game and the initial reaction is disappointment that we didn’t do that.

"We tried our best and lost but there were no losers in our dressing-room because everybody did exactly as I asked them as regards their effort and workrate."

With Rangers’ 4-0 win over Euro rivals Kilmarnock yesterday - the win taking the Ibrox side back to the top of the table on goal difference - Hearts still enjoy a four-point lead over the Ayrshire side with just two matches remaining.

If performances against the Old Firm is the yardstick for success for Hearts, then on recent displays against Celtic Levein can be satisfied that his team is moving very much in the right direction.

And with Alex McLeish bringing his team to Gorgie on Sunday, there is another opportunity for the Jambos to underline the advances made under their talented young manager.

Taken from the Scotsman