Bednar delivers record and belief

Patrick Glenn at Tynecastle
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer

Whatever doubts may have prevailed before, Hearts' claim of credible contenders for the Premier League championship will now be taken seriously. In a match that was much too untidy to give a reliable guide to their abilities, George Burley's resurgent side did provide convincing evidence that they have the spirit for the job.

If Roman Bednar's winning goal was the only measure of separation as Hearts registered a club record eighth successive league victory and streaked 11 points clear of Rangers, it was entirely appropriate. One of the few incisive moves of the match had preceded the moment and the execution was appreciably deadlier than anything that would be seen in the rest of the 90 minutes.

Replete nowadays with foreign players of good quality and rapidly progressing Scottish internationals, Hearts have shown since the start of the season that they are not susceptible to the intimidating power of the Old Firm that has been, historically, a serious hindrance to would-be challengers.

The Tynecastle side's problems before and, as it transpired, during a match that was nevertheless engrossing were entirely physical. The suspect fitness of Bednar and left-back Takis Fyssa did not take long to yield to the pressure of a demanding event, the Czech replaced by Stephen Simmons in the 27th minute, the Greek following soon after, his place taken by Jamie McAllister.

Bednar had, however, already made a serious contribution by giving the home side the lead. It was the most orthodox of goals, Paul Hartley's wickedly delivered corner kick from the left allowing the forward to send a powerful header from six yards low to the left of Ronald Waterreus.

In fact, the Tynecastle side would have scored from the move that brought the corner, but for an excellent save from Waterreus. Rudi Skacel's terrific cross from the left found Edgar Jankauskas and his forceful header had the Dutch goalkeeper diving to his right, the corner ultimately conceded by Fernando Ricksen.

Nobody expected anything other than a relentlessly tough match, but the enforced removal of Nacho Novo from the Rangers attack, he was the first casualty, after only 19 minutes was followed by the replacement of central defender Julien Rodriguez for tactical reasons, bringing to four the number of changes in the first 35 minutes.

Having started with a 3-5-2 formation, perhaps in rehearsal for Wednesday's Champions League match against Internazionale, Alex McLeish reverted to a back four to accommodate Thomas Buffel in a more creative 4-3-1-2. But Rodriguez had looked unconvincing, creating a mystery with a two-handed push on Simmons that was not punished with the award of a penalty kick by referee Kenny Clark.

The numerous changes in personnel clearly had a detrimental effect, especially on Hearts, who lost most of their early fluency along with Fyssas and Bednar, as if their departures had interfered with the antennae of those left behind.

Rangers looked more reliable in defence with the removal of Rodriguez and the reversion to a four, but that could be attributed at least in part, and this applies at the other end, to a general lack of coherence in the play of the forwards.

Indeed, a seemingly endless series of free-kicks, at a rate of about two a minute, brought statistical confirmation of the overall dishevelment, with only the occasional flurry of activity in the vicinity of the respective goalkeepers relieving the tedium.

Hartley's dangerous cross from the right caused Jankauskas to stretch, heading too high, while McAllister was alert enough to make a crucial block when Jeffers turned and shot from just inside the penalty area. The tensions of the occasion seemed simply to have precluded the possibility of rational football.

Man of the match: Paul Hartley - a rare example of composed, contemplative football.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer