Levein left with nothing despite bold play

IN some ways a drubbing might have been easier to take. A severely depleted Hearts conjured up their boldest and best performance of the season and still left Ibrox with nothing to show for their efforts.

The 2-1 defeat extended their winless run against Rangers to 23 matches, and it can only frustrate the Tynecastle men to know that they will never have a better opportunity to lay that ghost to rest.

In spite - and perhaps even because - of the absence of three key defenders, head coach Craig Levein decided to take the game to the SPL champions who, despite their inadequacies, are all too rarely troubled on their own patch.

With first-choice centre-halves Steven Pressley and Andy Webster missing, Levein was left with only one experienced alternative in Kevin McKenna.

It said everything about his approach to the match that he decided to deploy the Canadian in attack instead.

That decision was completely at odds with the reputation the Jambos have gained for caution on their visits to Glasgow.

After Rangers’ defeat at Dunfermline six days earlier it was clear that Levein smelled blood and was prepared to gamble.

And when Andy Kirk sclaffed home an untidy shot in the 12th minute it looked like the coach had come up trumps despite having to field an under-strength side.

A makeshift pairing of Scott Severin and Patrick Kisnorbo at the heart of the defence looked understandably hesitant at first but grew into the match with Severin particularly impressive.

In midfield, Phil Stamp had a terrific match while Neil MacFarlane buzzed around like a fly in a room full of glitterballs.

The surprise inclusion was Robert Sloan, drafted in for his first appearance since the derby defeat to Hibs back in August, and the young winger provided a number of dangerous dead-ball deliveries which caused much consternation in the Gers defence.

Up front, meanwhile, McKenna provided nuisance value with his tireless running and aerial prowess while strike partner Kirk was again in the right position to nab the opener.

Sloan swung over his third vicious corner in quick succession which Stefan Klos weakly pawed away from goal. Phil Stamp swung back his right boot and hit a shot straight at Kirk who gathered enough composure to send the ball trickling over the line with Mikel Arteta somehow failing to block despite being stationed on the appropriate post.

The goal was untidy in its execution but was celebrated by the visitors as if a 40-yarder had been planted into the top corner.

The lead lasted just ten minutes, though, with the home side equalising through route one. Fernando Ricksen hoisted a pass over the Hearts defence which Michael Mols latched on to.

Despite being exposed, Craig Gordon did wonderfully to block the Dutchman’s shot with his boot but Shota Arveladze was first to the rebound and nodded the ball over a despairing Severin on the line.

Had Sloan shown a little more conviction the Jambos would have gone in at half-time in front. MacFarlane ended a surging run by chipping the ball to the back post where the 20-year-old gathered before hitting a ten-yard shot straight at Klos. Had he placed the ball to the keeper’s left he would surely have scored.

Kirk missed a further golden opportunity before the break, rising unmarked at the back post to meet another fine set-piece delivery from Sloan only to head the ball narrowly wide.

The Irishman’s miss could have been even more costly as Rangers broke to the other end where Arveladze bulleted a header goalwards only for Gordon to beat it away before Peter Lovenkrands wastefully lashed the rebound wide.

The home side took the lead seven minutes after the interval through a break on the counter-attack with Lovenkrands feeding Mols down the left channel.

The forward spotted Chris Burke on the far side and slotted the ball across goal to give the young winger a simple tap-in.

Arveladze missed a golden opportunity to extend the lead before McKenna drew an instinctive stop from Klos who tipped over a header which seemed bound for the top corner.

Hearts kept going and Levein’s belief that the match was still within reach was proved by his decision to throw on another two strikers in the shape of Graham Weir and Mark de Vries.

The match ended with Rangers camped inside their own half and in injury-time a final Hearts corner broke to Robbie Neilson who volleyed a shot towards the bottom corner, only for Klos to deny the Capital club once more.

Levein said: "I was proud of the way we played but unfortunately the outcome was the same as usual.

"I really do feel for the players. I felt it was a great opportunity to get at least a point and maybe all three. When you are on top and in control of the game you have to put the ball in the net and we weren’t able to do that.

"Klos made great saves from Robert Sloan and Kevin while our goalkeeper made a couple of great saves as well.

"I took a chance playing Kevin up front but when I saw Dunfermline’s first goal from the previous match I thought he could cause them some problems in the air.

"I was pleased the players kept going to the end and fought all the way.

"It was an even match which is better than we’ve managed previously but I felt we deserved to take something from it."

The games could be summed up by the fact the two best players on view were the goalkeepers.

Klos has established a deserved reputation as the best in the country but Gordon’s fine performance underlined his credentials as one of the brightest prospects in the Scottish game. Rangers boss Alex McLeish rightly reserved some praise for the 20-year-old, but his view of his own side’s efforts seemed slightly skewed given the amount of panic Hearts caused around the home goalmouth.

He said: "I thought our performance was good, and the first half especially was excellent - it was unbelievable that we went behind.

"It was high balls that troubled us and we didn’t defend corners well which eventually led to their goal.

"I didn’t think they ever looked like passing their way through us and instead used their power in the air and latched on to second balls which just weren’t falling for us.

"Stefan did well for us again and he made a great save from Sloan in particular. To be fair, though, I thought the Hearts keeper had a terrific game as well."

Taken from the Scotsman