Jam Tarts frustrated with point against Gers

THERE was a palpable sense of disappointment among the Hearts players and supporters when the final whistle rang out at Tynecastle on Saturday.

While in seasons gone by a 1-1 draw with Rangers would have been cause for celebration such has been the Ibrox outfit’s form of late and the way in which the weekend’s game was played that most who are of a Hearts persuasion will probably view this as an opportunity lost.

Before kick-off the Jambos knew that victory against Alex McLeish’s stuttering Gers would see them close the gap between themselves and their opponents to just nine points, but a combination of a highly dubious penalty award to the visitors and a glaring late miss by Joe Hamill prevented Hearts from doing so.

The fact that Ronald de Boer admitted afterwards that his side "were probably lucky to get away with a point" highlighted the Rangers players were only too aware of how close they had come to leaving the Capital with nothing to show for their efforts.

Craig Levein’s men will play an awful lot worse this season and yet claim all three points, although had it not been for substitute Dennis Wyness’ equaliser they could, rather cruelly, have been left with absolutely nothing to show for their work over the 90 minutes.

The former Inverness Caley Thistle frontman was in the right place at the right time 15 minutes from the end to hammer a crisp 15-yard volley into the bottom corner of Stefan Klos’ net after Craig Moore had only partially cleared a Steven Pressley free-kick.

That strike was no more than the Jambos deserved and cancelled out Craig Moore’s spot kick ten minutes into the second half.

Peter Lovenkrands had gone down in the area under a challenge from Robbie Nielson and although it appeared as though the players had merely gone shoulder to shoulder for a 50/50 ball referee Kenny Clark thought otherwise.

And Wyness, who netted his side’s reply, felt that his strike ensured justice had been done.

"Nobody seemed to think it was a penalty," he said. "The guys just seemed to run into each other but then I suppose these are sometimes given and we just had to get on with things.

"We were disappointed but we came back well and we have to be pleased with how we responded. We definitely finished the stronger team and could probably have won the game with the chances we had at the end.

"I definitely felt we deserved to at lease take a draw from the game so it was nice to see my shot hit the back of the net. I just tried to make sure it was on target and luckily enough it has beaten the goalkeeper."

Jambos boss Levein, meanwhile, agreed with Wyness’ view that his side had been hard done by over the penalty award.

"I think the referee has made a mistake," he said. "I don’t think it was a penalty. Strangely enough it was probably what the game needed to liven it up at that stage but in my opinion it wasn’t a penalty."

Hearts fans had made their feelings about the club’s proposed switch to Murrayfield known before the game when an estimated 3000 took part in a march to the stadium to show their displeasure at chief executive Chris Robinson’s plans.

And by the time they had taken their seats in the stadium they were in no mood to quieten down as they backed their team to the hilt to create the kind of atmosphere that would be hard to recreate in the home of Scottish Rugby.

That seemed to spur the home side on and they almost got off to a perfect start when Phil Stamp intercepted a misplaced pass from Moore before playing a diagonal ball that Hamill narrowly failed to connect with just six yards from goal.

Andy Webster was next up to try his luck, the centre-half being allowed to advance unchallenged before sending a 25-yard drive zipping wide of Klos’ right hand upright.

With just over a quarter of an hour played Stamp was again at the centre of things when he threaded a delicate through ball for Graham Weir to chase but Klos was alert to the danger and just beat the teenager to the ball on the edge of the area.

With Hearts throwing everything at their opponents in search of the opening goal Klos again showed his worth when he beat out a thundering Alan Maybury attempt from the corner of the box.

The Glasgow giants were struggling to find their feet in the game but suddenly came to life ten minutes before the interval.

Firstly Ronald de Boer tried his luck with a 25-yard effort that Craig Gordon had to be well placed to save, and just a minute later Patrick Kisnorbo crashed the ball against his own crossbar as he tried to head clear a dangerous inswinging Rangers corner.

That lifted the Govan men and in a frantic spell when the home defence were at sixes and sevens Gordon again came to his side’s rescue when he pulled off the save of the game as he leapt high to his left to claw out an 18-yard Stephen Hughes volley that was destined for the top corner.

After the interval the visitors did get the break they needed when referee Clark awarded them a very soft penalty that Moore expertly dispatched just out of the reach of the helpless Gordon.

The Hearts players were clearly incensed by the decision with Kevin McKenna being shown a yellow card for his over zealous protest.

Rangers then had several opportunities to put the game beyond the home side with Lovenkrands in particular being guilty of passing up some guilt-edged opportunities, none more so than when he somehow contrived to send the ball over the bar from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

After Wyness deservedly drew the Jambos level, the home side threw everything at their opponents as they bombarded Klos’ goal.

And Hamill will probably still be asking himself this morning just how he failed to fire his side into the lead five minutes from time. The ball fell to the youngster at the back post no more than six yards out but with the goal gaping he somehow screwed his effort wide to let Rangers of the hook.

It then took a diving header from Moore to clear a Neil Janczyk shot off the line in the closing seconds but despite their best efforts Hearts were forced to settle for a point.

Taken from the Scotsman