Mikoliunas vindicates Romanov plan

STEPHEN HALLIDAY AT TYNECASTLE

HEARTS 3-0 KILMARNOCK

Referee: J Underhill. Attendance: 9,220

THE last time Scottish grounds echoed to the chant of ‘Miko, Miko’, a certain Ukrainian famed as much for his economy of effort as for his sublime technical ability was both delighting and infuriating Rangers supporters during a trophy-laden, five-year spell at Ibrox.

It would be unfair to burden Saulius Mikoliunas with direct comparisons to Alexei Mikhailichenko, the man who patented the sobriquet which on Saturday was adopted by the Hearts fans to display their adoration for a new Gorgie hero.

The 20-year-old Lithuanian international remains, as Hearts head coach John Robertson was quick to point out after the attacking midfielder’s outstanding performance in this highly impressive defeat of Kilmarnock, very much a work in progress.

It is thrilling, nonetheless, for the club’s fans to savour the prospect of witnessing Mikoliunas fulfil his potential over the next few seasons in a maroon shirt. The former Kaunas player, already capped six times for his country at senior international level, delivered an emphatic vindication of new Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov’s policy of scouring his homeland to strengthen the squad.

Romanov and his acting chief executive, Sergejus Fedotovas, were both given a warm welcome when they were formally introduced on the pitch before kick-off, their decision to call off the sale of Tynecastle having guaranteed them significant emotional credit among the home supporters.

Fedotovas, whose face and thoughts filled no fewer than ten pages of the match-day programme, is emerging as the key figure in this new era for the club and he was even happy to act as an interpreter for Mikoliunas when the man of the moment faced the press after the game.

"It was a fantastic game and a very nice performance," said Mikoliunas. "I feel settled in Scotland already. The football here is much quicker than I was used to in Lithuania, but I like to play the game that way. It was very satisfying to hear the supporters sing my name and I want to help Hearts succeed."

The pace, balance and quick feet of Mikoliunas persistently troubled the visitors, who generally appeared listless throughout. In recognising an excellent performance by Robertson’s team it was impossible to ignore the desperate nature of Kilmarnock’s display, which understandably bemused and incensed their manager Jim Jefferies.

The sides will meet for the third time in 12 days at Rugby Park on Wednesday night, with Jefferies taking some consolation from the certainty his players cannot possibly perform as poorly again in the Tennent’s Scottish Cup fourth-round replay.

"We were second best, didn’t win enough 50-50s and the only good thing that will come out of this is that Hearts will see a far different Kilmarnock on Wednesday night," said Jefferies

Robertson will welcome his third Lithuanian signing this week and pointed out that 23-year-old Deividas Cesnauskis is currently keeping Mikoliunas out of their international starting line-up.

Mikoliunas’ first goal for Hearts owed much to the quick thinking of Steven Simmons, whose sharply taken 14th-minute free-kick caught out the Kilmarnock defence and allowed the Lithuanian to race clear, round goalkeeper Alan Combe and slide his shot into the empty net.

Kilmarnock gifted Hearts their second goal ten minutes later when James Fowler sliced an attempted clearance from Robbie Neilson’s cross into his own net. Dennis Wyness set up Lee Miller’s memorable clincher on 66 minutes.

Wherever the on-loan Bristol City striker’s career takes him, he will struggle to better this goal-of-the-season contender, his stunning right-foot half volley from 20 yards crashing in off the crossbar.

Taken from the Scotsman