Skacel gives Hearts just reward

Patrick Glenn at Parkhead
Sunday October 16, 2005
The Observer

As uncompromising a duel as anyone would expect of the Premierleague's top two teams brought a result with which no one could quibble. Craig Beattie's opening goal for Celtic, matched soon after by Rudi Skacel's simple score, will have left the more discerning supporters of both sides recognising that, on the day, they had seen two combatants of equal merit.

Propelled by a sense of urgency that is normally the preserve of Old Firm matches, both teams ensured that, whatever level of performance may have been reached, competitiveness would never be conspicuous by its absence.

Indeed, it was evident from the first minute that the quality that distinguishes the present Hearts side from many previous would-be usurpers of the Glasgow giants' duopoly is a refusal to be pushed around.

Scotland internationals such as Steven Pressley, Andy Webster and Paul Hartley have grown into their status, both mentally and in the execution of their work, while talented imports such as Skacel, Edgaras Jankauskas, Takis Fyssas and Michal Pospisil seemed to be unaffected by the traditional intimidatory effect of the reputations of Celtic and Rangers.

So willing were the visitors to take the game to their opponents that, when Celtic took the lead, there was an unmistakable element of injustice about the goal. Hearts had, in the period that preceded it, been notably more coherent and inventive in their attacks and did not deserve to fall behind.

Beattie's strike came after Alan Thompson had played a corner from the left to Shunsuke Nakamura on the right edge of the area. The Japan midfielder found Neil Lennon with a high, swinging pass beyond the far post and the Irishman's header across goal was deflected to Beattie. The striker jinked into space and had the good fortune to see his left-foot shot deflected by the heel of Julien Brellier past Steve Banks.

Astonishingly, Bobo Balde hit a post with a header from Thompson's corner kick from the left a minute later, leaving the travelling supporters with the appalling thought that their team, having looked the better equipped, could have been two goals down.

Instead, they equalised very soon afterwards and, if the goal was the result of a dreadful miscalculation by Paul Telfer, no one could argue that it was not deserved on the balance of play. Telfer had control of the ball as it ran back towards goalkeeper Artur Boruc, but, with Skacel charging in from behind, he should have made the clearance.

But he allowed it to run towards Boruc, who lost out in the 50-50 challenge with Skacel and the Czech midfielder, enjoying the break, had only to drive it into the unprotected net.

With Hearts' industriousness and good movement, Celtic found it difficult to impose themselves in a forceful and productive way in midfield, consistently failing to contrive openings.

Even so, they would have led again but for Banks's save from a powerful, deflected shot from Telfer and Stilian Petrov's shooting wide after the goalkeeper had unconvincingly slapped the ball straight to the Bulgarian's feet.

But, despite spending longer periods than earlier in their own half, Hearts, too, were not short of opportunities. When a long throw from the right was headed down to Webster, the defender, with time and space, hurried a left-footed half-volley wildly over the bar. And Pospisil, on the end of a whipped free-kick from Skacel on the right, sent the header too high.

When John Hartson, who had replaced Neil Lennon, headed over from fellow substitute Shaun Maloney's corner kick on the left, it amounted to confirmation that both sides would take what they deserved from the match.

Man of the match: Hartley - diligent display by the Hearts midfielder.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer