Hearts hail wily Wyness

SIMON BUCKLAND AT RUGBY PARK

GARY Locke set up a few goals for John Robertson when the pair played together at Hearts, and he was at the root of another for him in error yesterday. Locke, the Kilmarnock substitute, was offering his post-match thoughts on the loose header which inadvertently created the Hearts equaliser when Robertson entered the press room and, jokingly, pulled rank.
“When you’re a manager you can call the shots,” smiled Robertson. As Locke protested, a second Robertson one-liner floored him. “It’s about time you did something for Hearts,” came the quip.

The question of who will finish third may take longer to answer than in previous seasons, when Hearts have made that place their own with relative ease. Kilmarnock were the better team for much of yesterday’s game. “Maybe people will realise now that we’re not a bad side,” said Jim Jefferies, the Kilmarnock manager, who still hasn’t quite forgiven those who predicted his team would struggle to remain in the Premierleague this term. “If we keep playing like that we’ll keep surprising people. We had the better chances in the game and if we had won it I don’t think Hearts could have had any complaints.”

Jefferies had a veiled jibe recently when Craig Levein left Hearts, saying the club he used to manage would now have some flair about their football again, and that was evident in the early stages. A deft touch from Dennis Wyness, a player signed by Levein from Robertson at Inverness, released Paul Hartley who in turn set up Kevin McKenna for a near post drive that Alan Combe saved well.

Kilmarnock have split up last season’s centre-back pairing of Freddy Dindeleux and Gordon Greer, but left them in the team as full-backs; an awkward looking arrangement cut short by the Frenchman’s 16th-minute groin injury. That meant Peter Leven, who started the match in central midfield, switched to left-back, but despite his defensive position, he held an attacking outlook.

In the 31st minute, a sustained bout of passing from Kilmarnock culminated in a fine through ball from Gary MacDonald that the impressive Leven struck past Craig Gordon in the Hearts goal with the outside of his left foot. Released by Rangers last summer, Leven arguably looks a better player than one or two lesser ones that have been retained at Ibrox. To name names: a certain Stephen Hughes. “Peter can play, make no mistake about that,” enthused Jefferies. “It was a terrific finish.”

The second-half started with Colin Nish somehow remaining unpunished by referee Calum Murray for all but decapitating Alan Maybury, but it was symptomatic of Kilmarnock having more aggression about them. Robertson made a double switch in the 59th minute, Ramon Pereira for Joe Hamill and Mark de Vries for McKenna, who still looks like a centre-half playing centre-forward. A situation further complicated by him looking like a centre-forward playing centre-half when he does move back. The sooner De Vries is properly fit the better, though it cannot be helping matters to have him half-fit on the bench all the time. Either you are fit or you are not.

The change was for the better. As Inverness manager, Robertson brought on Liam Fox at Rugby Park to help claim a point in a 2-2 draw last month, and was to repeat that desired outcome here. Allan Johnston missed Kilmarnock’s best opportunity of a second, shooting much too close to Gordon, and Hearts responded.

After Locke relinquished possession, the lively Pereira darted down the right and threw in a low driven cross that was converted at the far post with an assured finish by Wyness, a born-again striker shorn of a previous manager preaching ideas he didn’t believe in. “I didn’t think Dennis would be quick enough to reach it,” said Jefferies, slightly bitterly.

Doubts about his lack of pace have often undermined Wyness, but at least there are no longer any doubts about his place at Hearts. “Dennis is a good player,” insisted Robertson. “We’re passing the ball a bit more to feet now and Dennis is pivotal to that approach because he’s a fantastic footballer. If you ask any of the players at Hearts about Dennis, they’ll tell you how good he is and, now he’s found his goalscoring touch, I’ll be looking for more.” Pereira is another attacking option for Robertson should he choose to use him. “I came here under Craig Levein so now I have to prove myself again,” said Pereira, who joined in the summer from Raith Rovers. “Craig always said that he wanted me and Mark de Vries to play up front together, but it couldn’t happen because of injuries.”

Neither side quite had it in them to win the game late on, Kilmarnock coming the closest when Maybury’s saving tackle blocked Danny Invicibile’s shot, though given he looked well offside it was more like Danny Invisible from the assistant referee’s perspective. Locke must have wished he had stayed out of sight post-match, too.

STAR MAN: Peter Leven (Kilmarnock)

Player ratings: Kilmarnock: Combe 6, Greer 6, Lilley 6, Ford 7, Dindeleux 4 (Locke 16mins, 6), Invicibile 6, Leven 8, MacDonald 7, Johnston 6 (Fowler 77mins, 4), Dargo 4 (Wales 73mins, 6), Nish 5

Hearts: Gordon 5, Neilson 6, Webster 7, Berra 6, Maybury 7, Hamill 6 (Pereira 59mins, 7), Kisnorbo 7, Hartley 8, McAllister 6; McKenna 5 (De Vries 59mins, 6), Wyness 7 Booked: Greer 40, Dargo 72, Fowler 84

Referee: C Murray

Attendance: 6,129

Taken from timesonline.co.uk