Dunfermline Ath 1 - 3 Hearts

ROB ROBERTSON at East End Park November 11 2004

JOHN ROBERTSON'S Hearts find themselves in the CIS Insurance Cup semi-final as success under their new coach continues apace.

Three well-worked goals gave the Tynecastle outfit a deserved win over a dogged but ultimately toothless home side.

The much-maligned striker Dennis Wyness, who had languished on the bench for most of the games under previous coach Craig Levein, was trusted to lead the Hearts line, something he did with aplomb.

He was even in close attendance in 32 minutes to make sure Andy Webster's header found the net. Indeed, the former Inverness Caley Thistle striker thought at first that he had got the faintest of touches but was unable to claim the goal officially.

Robertson, who knows more than most about claiming for everything after a career in which he scored well over 200 goals, expressed his satisfaction at the way Wyness had led the Hearts line and cleared up any confusion over his side's opening goal.

"If I had been Dennis I would have claimed I'd got a touch before the ball went into the net, but he's an honest lad and admitted Andy Webster's header had gone straight in," said the Hearts coach.

The identity of the second scorer was a rather more straightforward, if somewhat freakish, affair. Jamie McAllister's right-foot shot was heading wide until it took a deflection off Wyness and catapulted the ball across goal.

In a panic, Richie Byrne brought down Robbie Neilson for a blatant Hearts penalty which Paul Hartley dispatched, as he had done at the weekend against Aberdeen.

Hartley said: "It is great to have a semi-final to look forward to. We are third in the league and doing well in this competition, but we have to keep things going."

However, it was the visitors' third goal that was the pick of the bunch. Hartley drilled his corner to the edge of the box, where the unmarked Joe Hamill, a second-half substitute, casually dispatched a left-foot shot into the top corner.

Dunfermline's consolation goal just before the hour-mark came courtesy of a goalkeeping error by Craig Gordon. Billy Mehmet had been on the pitch for less than a minute when his low shot deceived Gordon, who let the ball slip through his hands and into the net.

Overall though, Hearts deserved the win. Robertson has managed to keep the momentum created by Levein going and the players are reacting well to his instructions.

That said Dunfermline were badly out of touch and their coach David Hay was roundly booed when he decided to take off Craig Brewster, the veteran striker, who had been having a good game.

Hugh Dallas, the match official, came in for severe stick from the Dunfermline supporters for awarding Hearts a penalty, and for a number of other decisions. Their sentiments were echoed by Hay who was highly critical of Dallas afterwards.

He said: "The referee got some important decisions wrong at crucial times, but we have to take it."

However, the truth was that the official had an excellent game and could not be faulted for his handling of the game.

Robertson has adopted a policy of "if it ain't broken don't fix it" on team selection. That attitude is paying off and his side is playing with fluency.

While this competition may not have the allure of the UEFA Cup for Hearts supporters they must think they have a good chance of lifting the trophy, providing they get a kind draw. It is certainly not beyond them and Robertson will be delighted at the start he has made as manager.

"You don't get anything easy in Fife," said Robertson. "They came back at us in the second half but we still got the win."

Dunfermline (4-4-2) Stillie; Labonte, Wilson, Thomson, Byrne; Nicholson, Young (Donnelly 77), Mason, Butler; Brewster (Mehmet 58), Tod Subs: Bradley, Ross, Langfield Booked Byrne (65), Wilson (68), Mason (40)

Hearts (4-4-2) Gordon; Nielson, Webster, Pressley, Maybury; Stamp (Hamill 67), Hartley, Kisnorbo, McAllister; Wyness (Weir 84), McKenna Subs: Berra, Pereira, Moilanen Booked Nielson (75)

Referee H Dallas

Attendance 4405

Taken from the Herald