Czech’s seven on the bounce

George Burley’s team have been almost contemptuously beating sides this season, but Inverness demanded a show of resilience from Hearts and the response pleased their manager.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game, Inverness are well organised, solid and hard to break down,” acknowledged Burley. “It was a test of character. I’d say it was our worst attacking display of the season, but football is a team game. We worked hard, we were organised and we defended well, even if our flowing football wasn’t there. Over the course of the season, you’re going to get games like that.”

Skacel’s first-half goal was the one polished moment of a gritty occasion. The effects were felt at Ibrox as well, where Rangers struggled following their exertions against Porto in the Champions League last week but still defeated Kilmarnock 3-0, only to be left looking up at the Tynecastle side’s lofty position. Alex McLeish takes the defending champions to Gorgie next Saturday fully aware that more ground cannot be lost.

“It was crucial we won (against Kilmarnock),” admitted McLeish. “You cannot afford to drop points because Hearts have won again and we’ve got to hand it to them for a fantastic start to the season. There’s a huge battle on next week at Tynecastle.”

Hibs and Celtic, tied on points with Rangers and Kilmarnock in second place in the Premierleague, have the opportunity to cut into Hearts’ lead at the top when they meet at Easter Road this afternoon. However, Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is already looking beyond that fixture to Neil Lennon’s disciplinary hearing with the SFA on Tuesday which will determine his punishment for swearing at referee Stuart Dougal and pushing both him and Jim Bee, his assistant, at the end of last month’s 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

“We just trust that the SFA will make a commonsense judgement and not get wrapped up in the hysteria that followed Neil’s sending off,” Strachan said. “They shouldn’t be seen to be doing anything, they should do what they think is right. If you’re seen to do something, it looks like you’re pressurised into it.”

The Celtic manager is wary of footballers’ behaviour being unfairly judged. At the end of a week when many of England’s cricketers were the worse for wear after a heavy night’s celebrating when they met the Prime Minister to commemorate their Ashes victory, Strachan sees double standards in the treatment of some sportsmen compared to their footballing counterparts.

“Could you imagine if it was a footballer who turned up at Downing Street with a pint in his hand or champagne?” Strachan added. “Cricketers are just middle-class sportsmen, cricketers can all go and have a drink, that’s middle class, but working class, we do it and we’re yobs. Ashley Cole turned up with a pair of trainers on somewhere and was absolutely slaughtered, but you can meet the Prime Minister absolutely out of your trolley with drink.”

Taken from timesonline.co.uk