Hearts secure third spot and Mark makes it worth the wait

MARK BONTHRONE AT TYNECASTLE

IT may have taken a few more weeks than Hearts fans would have liked, but their side finally secured third spot in the SPL at the weekend courtesy of a hard-fought 2-1 win over Dunfermline.

A couple of months ago the Capital club had looked home and dry with a commanding lead over the Pars but a string of draws prior to last weekend’s crucial victory over Dundee United had helped put the wind back into a Dunfermline challenge that had at one point looked to be flagging.

However, the Gorgie men finally crossed the finishing line on Saturday after they came from behind to ensure they finished ‘best of the rest’ for a second successive season.

It’s a particularly impressive feat against the backdrop of a campaign that has seen supporters’ protests over a proposed move to Murrayfield and boss Craig Levein lose the services of Jean-Louis Valois, Gary Wales and Austin McCann, with further first-team stars likely to follow them out in the summer.

Through all this the players have consistently stayed focused on the task in hand of building on last year’s successes - a task now achieved.

And Hearts star Alan Maybury admits it’s a relief to have finally secured third spot.

"I suppose we could maybe have had it tied up a few weeks ago had we not drawn so many matches, and then we thought it may have been secured last week so it’s good to have finally got it all sorted," he said.

"I don’t think there was ever any doubt in the players’ minds that we would get third place it was just a case of when we would do it.

"Even on Saturday we made it hard for ourselves as we didn’t really play for the first 20 minutes but the most important thing is that we got there in the end.

"Even when we go behind in games there is the belief there that we can come back and win as I think we’ve shown in matches this season.

"We have shown good character for the last couple of seasons and keep working hard right throughout the match.

"We don’t have any superstars here and everyone works hard for each other. I think by doing that and working as a team we have managed to get where we have and deservedly so."

Maybury and his team-mates were given an early scare when captain Steven Pressley came off worst in an accidental collision with Dunfermline striker Noel Hunt after just nine minutes.

The Scotland internationalist was forced to go off to receive a full eight minutes of treatment and although he was able to continue, by the time he did so his side were trailing their opponents by a goal.

Indeed, it took the Pars just 90 seconds to make the most of their extra man as Gary Dempsey floated a free-kick into the Hearts box and Andy Tod expertly guided a 12-yard header into the net out of the reach of Craig Gordon.

Pressley’s return to action seemed to steady a Hearts side that were rocking after a ferocious initial onslaught by their visitors, who looked desperate to record the win they knew they needed to give themselves any hope of finishing in third spot.

Although Pressley required two further spells of treatment as his head wound again opened up, he did last the match and his display went a long way to helping the Jambos to maximum points.

The game could almost have been over with just a quarter of an hour played, however, when Lee Bullen flashed a header a matter of inches wide after his run had been picked out by the impressive Gary Mason. That let-off seemed to spur the Tynecastle men into action and after last week’s decision to keep the club in their spiritual home for a further year, Mark de Vries gave the fans something else to cheer about as he pulled his side level.

Maybury’s long driven cross looked set to be cleared by Tod only for De Vries to somehow get in front of his marker and glance a header just inside the stranded Derek Stillie’s right-hand post. While Dunfermline shaded the first 45 minutes there was little doubt over who controlled the second period.

Six minutes after the re-start the Jambos almost took the lead when great play between De Vries and Paul Hartley carved open the Dunfermline defence. The duo played a neat one-two on the half-way line with the Dutchman releasing Hartley through on goal with a superbly weighted pass.

The former St Johnstone star looked to have done everything right as he coolly rounded Stillie only to see his netbound effort hooked off the line by Mason, who had retreated some 50 yards to cover his goalkeeper.

Dempsey then almost gave his side the lead again when his thumping 20-yard volley cracked off Gordon’s crossbar although it would have been rough justice on Hearts had it gone in.

While the Pars midfielder may have gone close, De Vries showed him just how it should be done with nine minutes remaining on the clock.

With his back to goal he skipped between two defenders and from 25 yards rifled a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the net to send the supporters and substitutes’ bench wild.

The powerful forward should have had even more to celebrate right at the death when he somehow scooped the ball over the bar with the goal gaping after Stillie could only parry Graham Weir’s shot into his path.

However, even that miss could not take the shine off the day for the Hearts fans or boss Craig Levein, who was quick to heap praise on his captain Pressley for playing through the pain barrier.

"Elvis got a cut right between his eyes and every time he headed the ball it opened up," he said.

"I was going to take him off but he insisted on staying on as he knew how important the game was for us.

"I think that just sums him up as he realised the game was in the balance and he wanted to help us out.

"It’s the same every time we are under pressure, he always seems to pull through for us and he did it again on Saturday."

And the Hearts boss also had special praise for goal hero De Vries.

"He was quite exceptional for us and you need somebody like that who can put the ball in the back of the net.

"He’s a big, strong lad but he showed there is so much more to his game than that.

"I’m absolutely delighted for him and all the boys as they have all worked really hard to get where they have this season."

Taken from the Scotsman