Hearts march on with eight in a row

MOIRA GORDON
AT TYNECASTLE

HEARTS 1 Bednar 15
RANGERS 0

THE last time these teams clashed at Tynecastle it erupted in controversy thanks to a last-gasp penalty that was given in Rangers' favour. On such results last season's title was decided. Yesterday, an 89th-minute claim was waved aside when Francis Jeffers' shot hit Robbie Neilson's arm, and it may be as pivotal in deciding the destination on this season's championship.

It certainly leaves Alex McLeish's men with an unenviable task. Still fighting on all fronts, they now have to try to claw back an 11-point deficit on the pretenders to their crown, while also fulfilling Champions League and domestic cup commitments.

Hearts for their part will know that adding strength in depth during the transfer window will be vital, despite their recording-equalling eight-wins-in-a-row start to the season, but with no CIS Cup to concern themselves with courtesy of their midweek defeat, they willing be hoping to keep the momentum going with the men currently at their disposal.

Both teams had reintroduced their star performers after those CIS Cup outings. Hearts were boosted by the presence of Roman Bednar and Edgar Jankauskas up front and Takis Fyssas passed a late fitness test, while Brazilian Samuel Camazzola was also handed his first home start.

Aware of the attacking threat posed by the league leaders in attack, McLeish preferred to set his team out with three at the back, giving himself the one-man advantage across the middle of the park. He also opted to give Nacho Novo a starting berth in place of Jeffers.

A match that was billed as the biggest non-Old Firm league match since the title decider between Rangers and then-challengers Aberdeen in 1991, the tension in the air as the match kicked off reflected the magnitude of the match. But as the Hearts personnel relaxed into the task, the continuing vulnerability of the Rangers rearguard rendered that a luxury few in blue shirts could afford.

From early on the willingness of the Tynecastle favourite, Rudi Skacel, to burst in behind Hamed Namouchi in the right wing-back role proved problematic and with a couple of whipped in crosses heralding his threat, it was no surprise when the top goalscorer delivered another ball which Jankauskas attacked and Ronald Waterreus did well to get down to his right and stop.

The Dutch keeper could not keep the ball in, though, and from the resulting corner it was Paul Hartley who skelped in the cross and Roman Bednar left his marker Marvin Andrews napping to nick in at the near post and send a glancing header into the back of the Rangers net.

The relief from three of the Tynecastle stands burst free like the pyrotechnic display which had 15 minutes earlier signalled the players' arrival onto the pitch.

A free header at the Hearts back post should have been more pertinent for the defending champions but with no-one around him to put him under pressure, Oliver Bernard sent a diving header well wide of target, while also waded in with a long-range shot which also failed to test Craig Gordon.

There was more edge to the home attacks with Skacel, in particular, continuing to menace. The quality of the ball delivered in the 17th minute deserved a better reward but this time Bednar was caught under the ball and in tight, he couldn't keep it down enough to sneak under the bar.

If Rangers weren't looking unsettled enough by this stage, an injury to Novo forced a further shake-up as he was replaced by Jeffers but he was allowed little time to settle before Hearts were again rampaging at the other end of the pitch. This time Skacel had a shot of his own on the turn but it skidded narrowly wide.

The gamble to play Fyssas from the start looked to have backfired when the Greek international limped off after 32 minutes, joining Bednar, who suffered suspected cartilage damage and had limped off six minutes previously. By that stage, though, the game had already been won and while the free-flowing football the two had combined with Skacel to provide down the left flank couldn't be conjured up in their absence, their teammates proved that they could not only outplay Rangers but out-battle them as well, protecting the lead for the remainder of the match.

Simmons was the man who entered the fray up front, while Jamie McAllister slotted in at left-back and the fact that the Scottish contingent were able to close out the match, with Paul Hartley and Andy Webster the main contenders for man of the match underlines this success is built as much on homegrown talent as that imported from foreign fields.

But if Rangers were later to lament bad fortune, with two second-half penalty claims rejected, Hearts could have stolen a two-goal march on them by that stage with a penalty shout of their own waved aside. A two-handed shove by Julien Rodriguez on Simmons in the 29th minute would have been given on another day but Kenny Clark was not convinced.

At least Simmons wasn't booked for getting in the way. In the second half Hartley admitted clipping the heels of Ferguson as he burst into the box but instead of earning a spot kick, the Rangers captain was booked for diving. It was to herald a narkier and more staccato send period with Hearts interrupting what little fluid movement Rangers could piece together before real danger struck. Substitute Thomas Buffel did give the visitors another option but, having set up fellow sub Federico Nieto on a couple of occasions, the striker couldn't finish.

Had Rangers managed to get the equaliser, it would have been just about all their sub-standard performance merited.

The real contenders in McLeish's side were again let down by those alongside them, which is why they were unwilling to bemoan the missed penalty opportunities. When Jeffers' strike hit Robbie Neilson's arm, the appeals were genuine, but Clark ruled the ball had played defender rather than the other way around.

The fact is, even a draw wouldn't have been acceptable for Rangers. They needed to close the gap on Hearts, instead they allowed it to be stretched. And that had as much to do with performance as luck.

Taken from the Scotsman