Hearts 1 - 0 Rangers

Natasha Woods at Tynecastle

EVEN in defeat, and aggrieved by its manner, Rangers could barely muster enough conviction to complain too vociferously. It was almost as if the league champions knew that they had been beaten by a better side and that superiority – illustrated by Roman Bednar’s solitary first-half goal – has now taken Hearts 11 points clear of Alex McLeish’s men.

The Rangers manager spent a long time in George Burley’s office after yesterday’s match; the pair having plenty to discuss about a game which featured three strong penalty claims, but not a single spot-kick.

Francis Jeffers was in no doubt that he should have been awarded one by referee Kenny Clark after his goal-bound shot was deflected away from the target by Robbie Neilson’s arm in the final minute of the match. McLeish thought so too, but conceded that the whole area of ball-to-hand or hand-to-ball remains a grey one.

Jubilant Hearts supporters will probably feel justice has been done anyway, since Rangers benefited from a late and controversial winning penalty the last time the pair met at Tynecastle.

Despite the onfield fireworks that preceded yesterday’s encounter, the game itself was nothing like as combustible as the infamous one last March which propelled linesman Andy Davis’ name into the headlines. Still, officialdom seldom escapes unscathed in such high-pressure fixtures and Clark will probably feel a mite uneasy when he views television footage of Julien Rodriguez shoving Stephen Simmons in the back as the half-hour mark approached.

The referee waved away Hearts’ claims for a penalty and even more erroneously booked Barry Ferguson for a dive in the second half when Paul Hartley later conceded he accidentally tripped the Rangers captain in the box.

Such minutiae may fuel days of debate on radio phone-ins and in newspapers, but the bottom line is that Hearts looked assured as early season pace-setters, while Rangers continue to look devoid of ideas.

McLeish knows that, admitting the team’s lack of spark – and the threat posed by Burley’s strikers – had convinced him to switch to three at the back. It was an experiment which lasted all of 36 minutes, by which time the home side were ahead and Rangers had demonstrated that quantity at the centre of defence doesn’t necessary equate to quality.

Hearts’ goal had come just before the quarter-hour mark and was of a type certain to enrage an old centre-half like McLeish. A Hartley corner was met forcefully by the forehead of Roman Bednar; a simple set-piece once again poorly defended by the Ibrox side.

Far from being intimidated by the occasion, Hearts were revelling in it, and minutes after Bednar’s goal the Czech could have doubled his side’s advantage when Rudi Skacel again escaped the attentions of Fernando Ricksen on the left flank to thump in another cross. This time, though, Bednar mistimed his jump and sent the ball spiralling over the bar.

Rangers, for their limited part, barely threatened at the other end, Olivier Bernard failing to take advantage of a rare bit of space in the Hearts penalty box early on after Dado Prso had sent in an inviting cross. No-one picked up the French left-back at the far post but, regardless, his attempted diving header was poorly executed.

McLeish’s woes increased when Nacho Novo limped off on 20 minutes after picking up an ankle injury which will keep him out of Wednesday’s match against Inter Milan in the empty San Siro.

Hearts were also taking casualties in this bruising encounter, Bednar eventually forced off after a heavy challenge by Marvin Andrews and Takis Fyssas only lasting half an hour before a recurrence of his groin injury.

The removal of those two key players combined to affect the momentum of the home side, still it remained almost all Hearts; Rangers’ numerical superiority in midfield nullified by the excellence of Hartley and Julien Brellier.

McLeish had to make changes to his side and his answer was to introduce Thomas Buffel and revert to a back four. Either that, or more likely a half-time ear-bashing, saw Rangers emerge a more positive outfit in the second half, but they remained far from penetrating.

Even when they did threaten, such as when Jeffers latched onto a Prso knockdown soon after the restart, there was always a maroon jersey in the way – in that case Jamie McAllister blocking the Englishman’s shot.

Rangers grew frustrated, Ricksen earning a booking for moaning about a free-kick he conceded for upending Skacel, after the entertaining Czech had produced a party piece of step-overs and cut-backs near the corner flag.

As Ricksen fumed, Skacel waved to his adoring fans. The gesture said everything about the contest. The balance of play, however, was swinging Rangers’ way as Buffel began to influence the game. The Belgian did craft one opening 12 minutes from time when he reached the byline and centred for Federico Nieto, but the substitute’s near post effort was clumsy. It was Nieto who then set up Jeffers for the shot which brought screams for a penalty from the Rangers fans in the Roseburn Stand.

The cries died on their lips, for the lasting impression at Tynecastle yesterday was of Hearts fans in full voice.

25 September 2005

Taken from the Sunday Herald