Jambos looking tough to topple

Paul Kiddie
At Almondvale

THE title race may be a marathon not a sprint, but the manner in which Hearts have exploded from the blocks suggests the Jambos are capable of giving the Old Firm a run for their money this season.

George Burley's side restored their five-point advantage at the top of the table courtesy of a convincing 4-1 victory over Livingston, the Tynecastle outfit storming to their sixth straight triumph of the campaign at Almondvale.

"We shall not be moved!" roared the defiant 6000-strong visiting support as their team swept aside the challenge of the West Lothian basement boys.

Judging by the evidence of the first few weeks of the season, the Jambos could indeed prove difficult to dislodge from the summit of the SPL.

Such form has forced many observers, who previously dismissed Vladimir Romanov's bold assertion that Hearts could threaten the Old Firm's dominance of Scottish football, to sit up and take note of what is happening down Gorgie way.

Yes, it is early days but, as Lions boss Paul Lambert acknowledged after seeing his team clinically dispatched, the men in maroon fully merit their position as league leaders.

Statistics don't lie and six games, six wins, 19 goals scored and just four conceded tell the story of the team's progress being made under Burley, who now finds himself a remarkable eight points ahead of champions Rangers.

"To win six on the trot and score another four goals away from home is magnificent," said Burley. "We are not the finished article but we don't fear anyone. The players have all raised their standards and people are beginning to realise we are not going to be pushovers.

"So far we have done better than anyone could have expected. But we have only played six games and our squad is not nearly as strong as Rangers' or Celtic's. Having said that, we have players who show commitment and endeavour and who are always wanting to improve so you never know what may happen. You go into each game hoping to win it but nobody could have imagined we'd win our first six games. We are a very attacking team and want to win matches and we'll just keep taking each game as it comes."

With 11 players having been away on international duty in midweek, the Hearts boss was concerned at the effect that may have had on yesterday's performance. But he needn't have worried, the visitors effectively having the game won by the 34th minute by which time they had surged into a 3-0 lead.

Man-of-the-moment Rudi Skacel has the bookmakers running scared at the moment and he kept his remarkable record of a goal a game intact with the opener after just ten minutes.

The Czech star started the move himself by finding compatriot Roman Bednar whose cross from the left was headed back by Paul Hartley into the path of Skacel and the midfielder headed home to put his side ahead.

Sixteen minutes later, and centre half Andy Webster doubled the advantage, the Scotland star taking full advantage of some woeful defending at the back post to head home Jamie McAllister's free-kick.

Lambert was left to lament the lack of discipline from his rearguard in the opening exchanges but Hearts' third goal was sheer quality, a sweeping move involving Julien Brellier, Edgaras Jankauskas, Bednar and Hartley ending with the Scotland midfielder having the simplest of tasks to slot home. The goal came either side of two superb stops from Craig Gordon, the keeper having kept out a shot on the turn from Dave Mackay at full stretch before tipping Graham Barrett's free-kick onto the bar - referee Dougie McDonald failed to notice that save, however, and awarded a goal kick to the visitors.

The Lions clawed their way back into the match on the stroke of half-time and the otherwise faultless Gordon will have been disappointed not to have done better.

The 22-year-old allowed a low free-kick from Barrett to squirm from his grasp and Paul Dalglish reacted quickly to stab the ball over the line.

The same player wasted a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit even further shortly after the interval when he shot wide with just Gordon to beat having sprung the offside trap, Takis Fyssas applying enough pressure to put the striker off.

Any hopes of a fightback against tiring opponents vanished, however, in the 62nd minute when Hartley converted from the spot after McDonald deemed McAllister to have been fouled in the box by Neil Barrett, the hosts understandably feeling aggrieved at the award. Gordon again demonstrated his class 11 minutes from time when, despite being grounded after punching clear, he somehow got a hand to Derek Adams' shot from the edge of the box.

"I was a little bit apprehensive after not having had much time to work with the players during the week and not knowing how they could have been affected by the internationals," said Burley.

"But I knew I had a set of players who would go out there with a lot of energy and work hard for each other and that was the case.

"I thought we were exceptional for the first 30 minutes and played some great stuff. We scored three goals and could have got six or seven. But give credit to Livingston. They never gave in and got a goal just before half-time which gave them a lift.

"We were a bit ragged in the second half as there were a lot of tired legs."

Romanov, who had met supporters groups at Tynecastle yesterday morning for a question-and-answer session, travelled to the game by bus with the fans before joining the Gorgie faithful in the crowd for the first half.

He must have marvelled at what he witnessed and not for 91 years have Hearts started a season in such breathtaking fashion, the 1914-1915 campaign seeing the Tynecastle outfit string eight successive victories together.

With each win comes increased expectancy among the support, who are now eagerly awaiting the visit of Rangers to Gorgie after this weekend's trip to Inverness.

"We won't always play to our best and we won't win every game but I think the fans appreciate the effort and honesty the players put into their performances," said Burley. "To take over 6000 to Livingston was unbelievable. I can't believe how many we are taking away from home. At Ipswich and Derby if we took 3500 to games we thought we were doing well."

Taken from the Scotsman