Hearts in the right place

MOIRA GORDON

IT HAD been 91 years since Hearts had started the season with eight consecutive league wins but with victory over Rangers yesterday, George Burley's men not only emulated that feat, they proved once and for all that the Tynecastle side are more than early-season upstarts.

In a match that had three penalty claims waved aside, and was ultimately decided by a 15th minute Roman Bednar goal, they out-thought and out-fought the defending champions to extend their lead over them to an incredible 11 points and maintain a five-point lead over second-placed Celtic.

While it may have been the most impressive result of the short campaign and laid to rest all talk that the bubble would burst the minute the Old Firm came calling, manager Burley admitted it had not been his side's most attractive display.

He admitted they had been forced to rely on grit and a well-honed work ethic to safeguard their early lead after both Bednar and Greek European Championship winner Takis Fyssas were withdrawn injured. They refused, however, to allow that to distract from the outcome.

"We've done that all season, worked hard and to win eight games in any league is a magnificent achievement and the all credit to the boys," said Burley, who inherited a threadbare squad just weeks before the season kicked off. "We've got players who are very committed and want to win games and work hard. But one game does not decide anything and Rangers will still be right up there at the end of the season."

Rangers, who had sparked controversy with a last-gasp penalty award at the same ground last season, appealed for another late on but referee Kenny Clark deemed that Robbie Neilson had not intentionally deflected a goalbound Francis Jeffers shot with his forearm.

"The ball was headed for the top corner and Robbie Neilson handled," argued Rangers boss Alex McLeish.

"The question is was it accidental ball to hand? It's always been my opinion, even if it's my team, that if you stop a netbound shot with any part of your anatomy that's not supposed to be used for football unless your a keeper, then it's a penalty."

But if there was ambiguity over that one, Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley admitted that punishment had befallen the wrong player early in the second half when he felled Barry Ferguson in the box.

"I said to Barry that I had clipped him but he still got booked for it," said Hartley. "But some of them you get, some you don't. With the Franny Jeffers shot, I don't think [Neilson] could get out the way but on their day they could maybe have had two penalties."

Fernando Ricksen was in agreement but, with Rangers also lucky to escape when Julien Rodrigeuz dealt Stephen Simmons a two-handed shove in the visitors' box, he said there was no point in dwelling on the ifs and maybes.

"We shouldn't focus just on the refs decisions, we should have created more than we did. Whether it's a penalty or not a penalty we needed more than these two penalty incidents."

The bookies will now further slash the odds on Hearts still occupying top spot when the plaudits are handed out in May but Burley is still refusing to make rash predictions.

"I can't influence what people are saying but what we are saying has never changed. It's still early stages. Last season we finished 42 points behind the Old Firm and while we have made amazing progress, if we can finish third and make Europe we will have done well."

Rangers know they have their work cut out if they are to successfully overhaul the 11-point deficit but Ricksen for one is drawing on past experience and refusing to write the title off: "We know it's going to be very difficult to get back at them now but we saw last season and the seasons before that nothing is impossible. As long as we keep the pressure on then anything can happen."

However, the only club feeling the pressure at the moment will be Rangers. They know they are under-performing but neither personnel nor tactical changes have improved their performances and with Inter Milan looming large on Wednesday, the Tynecastle performance does not bode well. They will also go into the match without Nacho Novo, who limped off with an ankle injury and has already been ruled out by McLeish.

But if that injury is troublesome to the manager, it is unlikely to prey on his mind as much as Roman Bednar's will on Burley. The loss of the Czech Under-21 striker could prove costly, with early indications that he has sustained cartilage damage and the club are now awaiting the outcome of tests to determine whether it requires surgery. It will stretch a squad, which undoubtedly has the ability to match the best the rest can offer, when the first-choice personnel are available.

Yesterday, against the defending champions, they equalled the start made by the famous class of 1914-15 and another three wins would see then share the club record, set in 1894/95 by a team that went on to win the title.

To get that record they would need to also beat Celtic at Celtic Park in three weeks' time. It is a tall order but Hearts are becoming good at confounding the doubters.

On this evidence, those individuals will soon be a lot scarcer on the ground.

CIS INSURANCE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW: The full draw is: Celtic v Rangers, Dunfermline v Hibernian, Livingston v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Motherwell v Aberdeen. The ties are all to be played on November 8 or 9.

Taken from the Scotsman