It wasn't vintage but Hearts head to Bordeaux in high spirits

Simon Pia

HEARTS 3 Kirk 67, 85, Pressley pen 90
LIVINGSTON 1 Lilley 52

HARDLY a vintage performance by Hearts as they set off to Bordeaux this week in the UEFA Cup. However, there is a robust body to this appellation from Midlothian and what it lacks in subtly it makes up for in value for money.

Craig Levein’s side were out played by Livingston for over an hour, but ultimately they proved to have more bottle than their visitors. What bodes well for Levein in France is he goes there with an in form striker. Andy Kirk’s return from injury last week against Partick Thistle has seen him grab five goals in a week. His two yesterday were vital in Hearts snatching a win, both of them opportunist strikes. Kirk has now scored six times in seven games for Hearts this season and he has started only three of them.

But there will be enough from yesterday’s display to leave Levein with some apprehension. His midfield were turgid and uncreative for long spells unable to impose themselves on the game while at the back they looked static whenever Livingston played in balls behind.

But more than half the battle in football is attitude and Levein has imbued in this Hearts side a resilience that was exemplified in their late surge.

Meanwhile there is such a thing as too much respect and both sides were guilty of it until the shackles were shaken off with Derek Lilley’s opening goal for Livingston just after half time in 52 minute. After a first half in which they had taken the measure of hearts and found them wanting they were ready to diss them and the game could have turned out differently if the striker and Stuart Lovell had not collided with each when clear on goal in 65th minute.

Two minutes later Hearts equalised and the game took a turn. It was a cruel blow for Roddy McKenzie’s whose five games in succession without conceding a goal had been acknowledged by the Player of the Month award. Until then the former Hearts goalkeeper had shown his mettle. After seven minutes Kirk had Hearts’ first strike on goal, turning smartly on the edge of the box and cracking in a low shot on the drop, but McKenzie had anticipated it and met it early.

McKenzie stamped his authority on his penalty box plucking two dipping crosses cleanly out the air from first Jean Louis Valois on the left and then an even more dangerous one from Phil Stamp on the right. What was pleasing was the manner in which he caught the ball rather than punching.

In front of him Oscar Rubio, Marvin Andrews and Manu Dorado were solid and efficient, keeping tight on hearts front two. When Livingston defence lost Dorado through injury after 25 minutes it did not distract them as they switched to a back four with Burton O’Brien slipping back from wing back while David McNamee tucked in from the right wing.

Juanjo Camacho came into midfield as Livingston always looked potentially dangerous on the counter attack with David Fernandez buzzing around Steven Pressley’s heels while Derek Lilley was continually peeling off into space.

And so it proved in the 33 rd minute when O’Brien released Camacho on the left and the Argentinean whipped in a first time cross that Fernandez met at the near post. If the Spaniard had got more of a glance on the ball it would have been in but he hit straight on at Craig Gordon who was covering his post and parried the effort.

Even although Livingtson lost Fernandez at half time it did not diminish them and his replacement John Paul McGovern filled his role with aplomb. But it was Lilley who put them ahead in 52 minute.

Lee Makel’s shot at goal was blocked by the striker but it rebounded to Makel who took it to the bye-line before cutting it into the six yard box where Lilley got a knee to it.

Livingston were looking more than comfortable but then came the miss between Lilley and Lovell and Hearts seized the chance to get back in to the game. Marc De Vries did all the work as he rolled Andrews across the box before squeezing in a shot across McKenzie and there was Kirk lunging in at the back post to bundle the ball over in 67 minute The Gorgie roar welled up and with five minutes remaining Kirk latched on to a slack throw in that Andrews appeared to leave to this goalkeeper.

Striding into the gap Kirk hooked in the bouncing ball past McKenzie.

It was grandstand if not champagne finish as Hearts piled forward and won a penalty two minutes into added on time. David McNamee had been booked shortly before and his foul on De Vries saw him receive a red card. Stephen Pressley scored to send buoyant Hearts across the Channel.

Hearts: Gordon: Neilson, McKenna, Pressley, Kisnorbo; Hartley Stamp, Severin, Valois; De Vries, Kirk

Livingston: McKenzie; Rubio, Andrews, Dorado ; McNamee, Makel, Lovell, Kerr O’Brien;

Referee: Stuart Dougal

Taken from the Scotsman