Jambos are hailed after team reaches new heights

PAUL KIDDIE AT TYNECASTLE

HEARTS 3
Wyness (5, 68), McKenna (75)

MOTHERWELL 2
McDonald (37), Clarkson (45)

RARELY can a lap of honour have been more deserving.

Moments after the shrill blast of Iain Brines’ whistle brought the curtain down on Hearts’ terrific season with a pulsating victory over Motherwell, the players set off on a celebratory circuit of the Tynecastle pitch to take the fans’ acclaim.

And acclaimed they should be for against a backdrop of off-field turmoil and more savage cost cutting, boss Craig Levein and his team had once again proved themselves the third force in Scottish football.

Of course, the Jambos had already ensured their ‘best of the rest’ tag and a second successive UEFA Cup adventure courtesy of a third-place finish before yesterday’s visit of the Steelmen.

But the 3-2 triumph ensured the Gorgie outfit did so with a record points haul in the SPL, the 68-point total one more than the mark reached during the Scottish Cup-winning campaign of 1997-98.

With just one defeat in the last 18 league games - and that a shock reverse against First Division-bound Partick Thistle - Levein could not have asked for much more from his men in the nine months which have elapsed since the opening-day victory over Aberdeen in the Capital.

Yesterday’s 90 minutes against the Fir Parkers pretty much summed-up Hearts’ season.

There was the customary demonstration against chief executive Chris Robinson - a lunchtime protest rally and march was followed by the release of thousands of balloons as the teams emerged for the start of the second half.

And there was also the now almost expected home win when Rangers or Celtic are not in town as the hosts showed their mettle to fight back to take the spoils - Hearts have not lost a home league game to a team outwith the Old Firm for some 18 months.

On a day of genuine emotion in Gorgie, the fans also said farewell to three top-team favourites as Andy Kirk, Scott Severin and Steven Boyack made their final appearances in maroon, Levein’s paltry budget dictating that all three will be forced to seek employment elsewhere when their current contracts expire in a matter of weeks.

"I had no hesitation in playing the guys," he said as he addressed the supporters from the centre circle afterwards.

"I have a lot of time for them not only as players but as people. And I am sure everyone will agree they have done their absolute utmost every time they have pulled on a Hearts strip. It is just so disappointing that finances dictate who you can keep at a football club.

"It has been a long hard season and I would like to express my gratitude to the players for what they have done. We seemed to be leading the rest of the pack in third place for most of the season and that isn’t always easy. But although some teams got close to us a couple of times - I don’t think Hibs ever did - we eventually saw them off to stay in third."

The last game of the campaign had started well for the Jambos, fresh from the famous win at Ibrox, with the impressive Paul Hartley setting up the first of Dennis Wyness’ brace with some clever work at the byline with just five minutes on the clock.

But a spirited fightback from Terry Butcher’s outfit threatened to ruin the script for the near 12,000 crowd, Scott McDonald equalising before David Clarkson rose unmarked in the area to head the visitors ahead with the last move of the opening 45 minutes.

Levein had used the occasion to hand promising youngster Gary Tierney his first-team debut with 16-year-old Andrew Driver on the bench, but the teenager was hauled off at half-time to make way for the versatile Australian Patrick Kisnorbo as Hearts set about regaining the initiative.

It was the Lanarkshire side, though, who should have stretched their advantage in the opening minutes after the break.

Sixty seconds after the restart Alex Burns appeared to have the simplest of chances to make it 3-1 only to fluff his kick in front of goal and then Kisnorbo came to Craig Gordon’s rescue with a goal-line clearance from the former Livingston player after the keeper had made a mess of an attempted challenge outside his area.

The 21-year-old, rumoured to be a target for Cardiff City, immediately atoned for that error with a fine save to his right from Stephen Craigan.

The key, though, to Hearts’ success over the past couple of seasons has been the team’s character and they demonstrated that fighting spirit which has served them so well by re-establishing themselves shortly afterwards.

Boyack came close with a shot from distance before Hartley sent a snap shot over the top. Things were looking more encouraging for the Jambos at this stage and the equaliser duly arrived with 68 minutes on the clock, Barry-John Corr dashing off his line to deny Hartley only for the ball to rebound into the path of Wyness who slotted home into the unguarded net.

Motherwell almost grabbed back the initiative three minutes later, Gordon denying Clarkson with a magnificent one-handed save low to his right without knowing how important that stop would prove with the home side getting their noses in front with 75 minutes on the clock.

Hartley’s outswinging corner was headed downwards and into the net by an the shaven-headed Kevin McKenna.

Nine minutes from time and Wyness missed a glorious opportunity for a hat-trick, the striker somehow managing to scoop the ball over from in front of goal.

Just when it seemed the home side were cruising to victory, Burns blasted wide following a Severin slip, before Kisnorbo appeared to get a boot to Martyn Corrigan’s 88th-minute header to prevent the ball sneaking in at the back post.

The Aussie then turned sinner in injury time, a weak back pass to Gordon allowing substitute Kenneth Wright a sight of goal, the kid gloves, though, again sparred his team-mate’s blushes with a good block.

"It might have been easy for us to think it didn’t really matter as we already had consolidated our position in third place but these guys don’t like getting beat and to their credit got a result," said Levein, who will now step his bid to spend wisely whatever money he has at his disposal - his budget expected to be slashed further because of the decision to stay at Tynecastle.

With the likes of Jean-Louis Valois, Gary Wales, Austin McCann, Severin, Boyack and Kirk all missing next season - and little cash for Levein to spend on replacements - next season promises to be an even another tough examination for the Hearts boss and his depleted squad.

For now, though, they can celebrate rising to their latest challenge in some style.

Taken from the Scotsman