WEIR HAS FIRST TOUCH OF CLASS

AIRDRIE .....................1 HEARTS ......................1

Scott Mcdermott Reports

YOUNG striker Graham Weir salvaged a draw for Hearts with his first touch against First Division new boys Airdrie.

Weir came off the bench to replace Dennis Wyness and within two minutes he hit the net to cancel out Owen Coyle's cracking opener for the Diamonds.

The veteran forward had lashed home a 20-yard rocket in the first half as Sandy Stewart's men more than held their own against the Jambos.

But 20-year-old Weir showed misfit strikers Wyness and Kevin McKenna the way to goal when he slotted past United keeper Mark McGeown with just 15 minutes left.

Craig Levein had started with the tried and tested players who have made third place their own in the SPL for the past two seasons.

Summer signings Jamie McAllister and Ramon Pereira had to settle for places on the bench and striker Mark de Vries again missed out through injury.

The other major absentee from the Hearts line-up was keeper Craig Gordon.

Airdrie boss Stewart had to do without crocked boy wonder Willie McLaren.

Despite the swirling wind and rain at New Broomfield the visitors side started well.

Phil Stamp linked up brilliantly with stand-in striker McKenna but the big Canadian's charge in on goal was thwarted by Airdrie defender Neil McGowan.

Former Middlesbrough man Stamp was impressive on the right wing and should have opened the scoring on 11 minutes.

He got clear of Paul Lovering on the flank and drove into the box. But as McKenna and Wyness waited for a cut-back Stamp opted for the shot and blasted into the side netting.

The flame-haired midfielder was at the heart of everything for the Jambos early on.

Youngster Joe Hamill whipped in a cross from the left and Stamp slid in at the back post but couldn't steer his shot goalwards.

Hearts dominated possession but that didn't stop them going behind on 25 minutes.

Last season's Division Two champions crafted a wonderful goal - and inevitably it was Coyle who applied the finish.

He latched on to McKeown's lay-off and rifled a 20-yard effort past Tepi Moilanen into the top corner.

Veteran Coyle has still the same predatory instincts he had 10 years ago and if he can stay fit Airdrie - rated 12/1 by the bookies - have to be considered serious challengers for the title this season.

Stewart's men almost went two up when Coyle turned provider on 36 minutes.

His inch-perfect pass found Frenchman Jerome Vareille steaming in on the right and he unleashed a volley that flew just past the post.

The Jambos should have had an equaliser in the 47th minute.

Hamill's driven corner found McKenna eight yards out. He was unmarked but couldn't connect with the cross. Then McKenna drilled in a low shot from 20 yards that had McGeown scrambling but it swept just wide.

His opposite number Moilanen looked decidedly shaky.

The Finn's weak pass put Alan Maybury in trouble and Coyle almost latched on to his clearance.

On 61 minutes ex-Airdrie midfielder Neil MacFarlane had a tame effort comfortably saved by McGeown. The keeper then produced a terrific block to keep out Andy Webster's bullet header from a Paul Hartley corner.

It wasn't all one-way traffic. On 70 minutes Coyle set up Marvyn Wilson for a 25-yard strike that skidded off the surface before being smothered by Moilanen.

The Hearts fans were delighted to get their first look at Pereira when he replaced the ineffective Wyness and Graham Weir came on for MacFarlane.

And the young striker made an immediate impact when he latched on to a McKenna flick and raced clear before slotting the ball past McGeown.

Then Weir went down in the box under former Jambo Allan McManus's challenge but referee Willie Young waved play on.

AIRDRIE UNITED: McGeown, Christie (Hoey 73 mins), McGowan (S McKenna 75 mins), McManus, Lovering, Vareille, M Wilson (S Wilson 75 mins), Dunn (Trialist 63 mins), Roberts, McKeown (W Wilson 73 mins), Coyle: Sub (not used): Hollis.

HEARTS: Moilanen, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Maybury, Stamp (Simmons 84 mins), Hartley (Jancyzk 84 mins), MacFarlane (Weir 73 mins), Hamill, Wyness (Pereira 73 mins), K McKenna. Subs (not used): McDonald, McAllister, Kisnorbo, Sloan, Berra.