Hearts 3 - 0 Kilmarnock

Alan Campbell at Tynecastle

YOU could hardly script what is going on at Tynecastle. The Lithuanian saviour, Vladimir Romanov, walked on to the pitch five minutes before kick off, bedecked in Hearts colours. He got the expected applause, but when the match got under way another figure from his homeland stole the show.

The frail figure of Saulius Mikoliunas was immense in this destruction of Kilmarnock. He scored his first goal for Hearts and was a constant thorn in the side of the visitors. If he lacks the appetite for the physical side of the game, he promises to be the creative midfielder Hearts have been needing to take the heat off Paul Hartley.

It wasn’t long before the home supporters were chanting rapturously about “Miko”, while another new player in their affections is striker Lee Miller. With Romanov having delivered his promises, including a stay of execution for Tynecastle and assuming the club’s debts through his Ukio Bankas, these are hopeful days at the end of a very dark tunnel for the Gorgie faithful.

Kilmarnock, on the afternoon, were overshadowed. Having snatched a late draw in the fourth round of the Tennent’s Scottish Cup at the same ground the previous Saturday, they now face a third successive game against Hearts in the replay at Rugby Park in midweek. Jim Jefferies has a job on his hands.

“We had too many players today who didn’t take part,” he said. “The only good thing is that we can promise Hearts a different game on Thursday.”

With Andy Webster suspended, Christophe Berra was the Hearts left-sided central defender and outside him was another young Tynecastle player, Lee Wallace, who had been given his full debut, to much praise, the previous week. It seemed an obvious area for Kilmarnock to try to exploit but Danny Invincibile, who can attack strongly down the right, was left on the bench.

The opening minutes were not productive, and it was very much in the tone of what had gone on before when Paul Hartley was fouled by Gary Locke. Quick as a flash, though, Stephen Simmons took the free-kick, threading it through the slumbering visiting players to Mikoliunas. The Lithuanian midfielder made short work of taking the ball past Liam Fontaine before delicately rounding Alan Combe and scoring.

Cue much delight in the Hearts directors’ box and among the support. There were soon more loud cheers of appreciation. This time Mikoliunas took the ball to the byline on the right and sent over a delightful cross which Miller met and headed just wide of the post.

The striker, on loan from Bristol City, has slotted effortlessly into John Robertson’s side and has started to show signs of progressing from the potential he displayed at Falkirk. But it was by no means all Hearts, with Steven Naismith and Gary McDonald having decent goal attempts for Kilmarnock.

Nevertheless, midway through the half, came a severe jolt for Jefferies’ side. Robbie Neilson, who is continuing to grow into the right back position, delivered a low cross into the Kilmarnock box which was destined to reach Miller before the unfortunate James Fowler turned it into his own goal.

Two ahead, the home side grew in confidence and began to play the style of football they’ll need if they want to finish third in the Premierleague for a third successive season.

With half-time just round the corner, Dennis Wyness, who continues to not quite fit into the Hearts side, rattled the bar with a powerful shot, but it was a credible effort unlike the howler he had four minutes into the second half.

Mikoliunas, inevitably, was again involved. This time he curled a shot towards goal from the right and Alan Combe was grateful to palm it out. The ball, though, fell right on the napper of Wyness, but somehow the goalkeeper recovered and swooped low to save the downward header.

On another day such a glaring miss could have been telling but Hearts put the game beyond doubt in the 66th minute. This time Wyness emerged with credit, laying the ball off to Miller, the tall striker smashing a stunning shot from 22 yards to score his fourth goal in seven matches since being reunited with Scotland.

“I don’t think I’ve scored a better one than that,” he said. Although there were later chances for his side, this corker of a counter proved to be the final icing on the cake on an excellent afternoon for Hearts. That it coincided with Rangers’ third against Hibs, as the PA announcer informed us, only made it better for the home supporters.

13 February 2005

Taken from the Sunday Herald