Injuries rip heart out of Jam Tarts

John Frank Robertson

HEARTS 2
Kirk 64, Stamp 79.

KILMARNOCK 1
McSwegan 90

A SULLEN-faced Hearts punter handed out leaflets headed "Keep our Hearts in Gorgie" prior to kick off yesterday afternoon. By the end of 90 minutes his demeanour might narrowly have turned for the better as his team returned to winning ways with an exercise in how to drag out a much needed home victory.

Gary McSwegan strolled off the visitors bench with 15 minutes remaining and almost got himself lynched by his former supporters after raising his arms to Alan Maybury - and receiving no punishment - before getting Scott Severin booked and then smashing home a late consolation that was met with a crescendo of boos. It was a strange end to a strange game.

It began sloppily with swirling wind and driving rain hampering the early action. Pressley returned to the defence to the universal approval of the home support, four straight defeats without their charismatic captain heightening their appreciation. They were strangely muted when he departed the field after only 19 minutes. It was either a recurrence of his previous thigh strain, or manager Craig Levein didn’t want to risk losing him over a hectic Christmas period.

Conditions were not conducive to a comeback - except perhaps for visiting manager Jim Jefferies. Three years after swapping Edinburgh for Bradford he surely fancied his chances of inflicting yet more dismay on his former charges. Kilmarnock are beginning to prosper under his tutelage, three straight SPL victories affording the travelling support renewed hope for a European placing come May. Hearts in contrast have been attempting to forget the Uefa third round draw made on Friday.

Stevie Fulton and Phil Stamp jockied for control in the middle of the park with the latter unceremoniously tripping his lookalike rival shortly before a glorious opportunity for the guests.

Freddie Dindeleux’s powerful defensive header on the half hour unleashed Kris Boyd through the middle. The accomplished front man held off Andy Webster but was denied by a sprawling Craig Gordon, a fine stop from the youngster. His potential, like Boyd’s, continues to flourish despite their lack of years.

Andy Kirk could have opened the scoring for Hearts a couple of minutes earlier had he taken Mark de Vries’s threaded ball into the penalty area with more authority.

There were a few other lacklustre attacks from the hosts but the stalemate held at the interval thanks only to their goalie Gordon flying dynamically across his goal to tip over a searing Colin Nish strike.

To be honest, Hearts looked a bit wobbly, and they continued their blancmange impression on the restart. In the opening two minutes Killie could have netted twice. Immediately from kick-off tiny Stevie Murray was felled by Patrick Kisnorbo after a surging run. Fulton took the kick quickly, Nish tapped to Murray, and his deflected strike narrowly missed the top corner.

Soon after, Boyd flicked through Peter Kanero. He opted for power instead of placement and Gordon again produced a robust and priceless obstruction.

To be fair, it was a masterful substitution from Levein. On the hour, he replaced De Vries with Robbie Neilson and switched Kevin McKenna into attack, and only two minutes passed before the change reaped rewards.

Stamp slammed a diagonal crossfield ball for McKenna to hook expertly across the area from the touchline, and Kirk rose to power home the header. It was a beautifully crafted goal, although Jefferies wouldn’t have been interested in how pleasing on the eye it appeared as he lambasted his players for turning off at such a pivotal moment.

A similar substitution by Jefferies seven minutes previously had almost yielded the advantage. Sub Martin Hardie had strived to make an immediate impact with a precise cross but Gordon Greer’s volley was blasted to safety by Kisnorbo on the goal line. Jefferies was frustrated and it seemed to transfer to his players psyche.

Then it was that man McKenna again, tearing at Killie with Paul Hartley. They harassed the ball off Greer and it slid across the area for Phil Stamp to cap an outstanding performance with a fierce low drive into the bottom corner.

Hearts had done enough.

Taken from the Scotsman