Celtic 1- 1 Hearts

DARRYL BROADFOOT October 17 2005

ANY lingering doubt can now be removed: Hearts are here for the long haul.

On Saturday, against Celtic, the Bank of Scotland Premierleague leaders completed the first quarter of their season without defeat. In their sternest test to date, George Burley's team bucked a familiar trend among visitors to Glasgow and contributed to an engrossing, entertaining and thoroughly refreshing afternoon of football.

Hearts have thus proven themselves sufficiently well appointed to challenge the Old Firm, having already defeated Rangers at Tynecastle, and safely negotiated another psychological obstacle to earn a credible draw to reinforce their championship credentials.

The mental dexterity displayed against Falkirk a fortnight ago, when a two-goal arrears was addressed while down to 10 men, was again in evidence in a pulsating contest at Parkhead.

Few visitors have survived an early concession in front of 60,000 supporters, yet Hearts' equilibrium was unaffected by Craig Beattie's emphatic strike after only 10 minutes. Rudi Skacel, the Czech internationalist who has become a serial slayer in Scotland, capitalised on a communication breakdown between Artur Boruc and Paul Telfer.

Goals aside, the capacity crowd were treated to 90 minutes of unremitting action. The mercurial decision-making of the referee, Dougie McDonald, simply added to the excitement.

Celtic may have forfeited the opportunity to displace Hearts at the top of the league, but the outcome owed as much to the enterprise of the opposition than their own failings. With Neil Lennon and Alan Thompson restored to midfield, and Chris Sutton given a long overdue return to his most effective position, centre forward, manager Gordon Strachan intended to test Hearts' resolve with his most experienced line-up. As he conceded afterwards, the plan did not unfold as desired.

Lennon returned to a hero's welcome, with individual colour-coded cards placed on every seat in the Jock Stein stand so that his name and number, 18, would be revealed by well-wishing supporters on command.

The captain will also be treated to a tribute dinner this week after his latest travail: had Lennon, in fact, been incarcerated for his inexcusable rant at Stewart Dougal in the last Old Firm game and not merely issued with a three-match suspension by the SFA? His was a far more popular return than the increasingly abrasive Alan Thompson. Watching the Englishman toil with even rudimentary elements of his game that once came naturally is an awkward sight. He, more than any other relic from the Martin O'Neill era, has been made fully aware that past achievements count for little. Criticism from a section of the support bordered on sustained heckling, with some oblivious to the glimpses of his incisive passing and dead-ball expertise.

His manager has no interest in minority opinion, but for those demanding he be shown the door consider this: Thompson is every bit as frustrated by the disappearance of the old magic, hence the increased agitation that resulted in yet another caution for dissent.

His plight is reminiscent of the last days of John Barnes' career, at Newcastle United, when the legs were no longer quick enough to transmit the requests of the brain.

Thompson remains an integral part of Strachan's plans, but considering the performance of his replacement, Shaun Maloney, in the final half-hour, the manager may soon find it impossible to ignore the irrepressible talent of the diminutive forward.

With hardly a pause during a breathtaking first half, it was not an occasion for subtlety. Paul Hartley and Shunsuke Nakamura, the respective playmakers, were afforded little space or time to provide the inspiration required to break the stalemate. Instead, defences were to the fore. Samuel Camazzola and Lennon were quietly industrious.

Bobo Baldé did a masterful man-marking job on Edgaras Jankauskas, the former FC Porto player, while at the other end Andy Webster badgered Beattie throughout.

Steve Banks, in his first senior outing for Hearts in the absence of the suspended Craig Gordon, confirmed his reliability to a manager who repeated his concerns over the squad's depth. He made a spectacular stop from Thompson before half-time and topped that effort to deny Maloney scoring from a perfectly executed free-kick.

Celtic's opener arrived within a minute of Skacel squirting wide at the other end. Nakamura was fouled near the corner flag by Panagiotis Fyssas. He shunted the ball to Thompson, whose diagonal ball was headed across goal by Lennon and smashed high into the net by Beattie with the aid of a deflection.

Hearts would not be disheartened, despite Baldé heading on to a post moments later.

A swift restoration of parity was partly self-inflicted by Celtic. Paul Telfer, who endured an uneasy afternoon against Skacel, attempted to shield a pass-back to Boruc but the goalkeeper had anticipated a clearance from the full back and Skacel scavenged on the indecision to rob possession and clip the ball home.

Strachan absolved Telfer of blame, but while he ought to have cleared first and asked questions later, Boruc, facing play, should have been a more commanding presence.

Either way, it helped perpetuate a remarkable run of form for Hearts.

Taken from the Herald