Jambos will be making their points on park - Paul

MARK BONTHRONE

HEARTS midfielder Paul Hartley revealed today that he and his team-mates would continue to do their talking on the pitch after climbing to third spot in the SPL.

The Jambos leapfrogged Aberdeen and Hibs at the weekend after a battling 1-0 victory at Pittodrie to confound the critics who had suggested they couldn’t combine European football with their challenge to finish best of the rest for a third successive season.

While Aberdeen have made most of the headlines so far this term with the dramatic turnaround in their fortunes under Jimmy Calderwood, the Tynecastle side have been quietly plugging away and keeping themselves in contention.

Sunday’s battling win, earned by Hartley’s second half penalty, moved John Robertson’s men ahead of their opponents on goal difference.

And the former Hibs and St Johnstone playmaker revealed that he and his team-mates had used the praise that had been lauded on their opponents and the noises coming out of the Dons camp as motivation going into the clash.

"Sunday was a massive result for us as Aberdeen have been going well - something they’ve been keen to let everyone know about," said Hartley.

"But we prefer to do our talking on the pitch and now we are back up in third position.

"I know some people have suggested that we have had a stuttering start to the season but I don’t think that has been the case at all. We have big European games to take part in which is something a lot of the other teams around us don’t have.

"We’ve been playing every midweek for a long time now and while that’s hard we are still up there at the top end of the table.

"People always seem to question whether we can play in Europe and challenge and hopefully this result will show them that we can."

Hartley was again the Jambos’ outstanding performer as his constant probing and runs from midfield caused Aberdeen all sorts of problems.

His ability from set pieces has also been a key attacking weapon for Hearts this season and his ability to strike a dead ball was there for all to see with 15 minutes on the clock when he smashed a 25-yard free-kick off the frame of David Preece’s goal.

However, he wasn’t to be denied in the Granite City and with an hour on the clock he did finally get what proved to be the winning goal from the penalty spot. And Hartley revealed that although there were plenty of willing takers there was no way he was going to allow any of his team-mates the chance to deny him his sixth goal of the season.

"I’ve scored a couple of penalties in my career but I’ve never been a regular penalty taker," he admitted. "But I was on the spot-kicks on Thursday had we got one after Elvis [Steven Pressley] missed the last couple he’s taken for us.

"There were a couple of the lads desperate to take the penalty against Aberdeen, particularly Stampy [Phil Stamp] and Jamie McAllister but there was no way I was going to let anyone else have a go.

"There was a wee delay with all the arguing after the award but I just tried to keep cool and focus on hitting the target and thankfully I tucked it away."

However, Hartley admits that he probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take the set-piece had referee Stuart Dougal been more alert. The whistler failed to spot that Kevin McNaughton was behind the line when he handled a powerful Robbie Neilson header and instead of awarding the goal he sent off the Dons defender and gave the visitors a penalty.

Not that Hartley was complaining, adding: "Robbie headed the ball from Jamie McAllister’s corner and it was miles over the line and I don’t know why it wasn’t given.

"However, it gave me the chance to score which I did so it all worked out." Next up for Hearts is a trip to face Dunfermline at East End Park tomorrow night with a semi-final place in the CIS Cup at stake.

And Hartley is determined to make sure the good work of Sunday’s victory isn’t undone.

"It’s another massive game for us and they seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment.

"It’s a chance to get into the last four of a cup and if you do that then anything can happen from there on in.

"We are aware it will be a difficult match as we haven’t played that well on the astroturf in the past but hopefully we can change all that tomorrow and get the victory to put ourselves into the next round of the competition."

Taken from the Scotsman