Warm welcome but Rix's side lose ground

DARRYL BROADFOOT at Pittodrie November 21 2005

Aberdeen 1 - 1 Hearts

GRAHAM Rix earned a point on his debut as Hearts' head coach. Proving one against a backdrop of contemptuous condemnation is likely to be a more enduring struggle.

The expected avalanche of abuse towards the convicted sex offender failed to materialise from the Aberdeen fans during yesterday's 1-1 draw at Pittodrie. Instead, the obligatory chorus of "paedo, paedo" quickly faded to a faint echo. With his past returning to haunt him from the moment his appointment as George Burley's successor was announced, he can only hope that the vilification abates sufficiently to allow him to demonstrate his ability to meet Vladimir Romanov's lofty objectives.

On the day, Rudi Skacel inspired a second-half fight-back with a deflected equaliser that took his output to 11 for the season and encapsulated Jimmy Calderwood's on-going exasperation with an Aberdeen team seemingly incapable of preserving a lead. The result leaves Hearts playing catch-up in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague, two points adrift of Celtic after their 3-0 defeat of Rangers on Saturday.

"I am glad the first one is out the way, especially after the way everything has gone off in the past 10 days," said Rix with detectable relief. "I think it may even have affected the guys during that first half.

"I don't think I have had a honeymoon period, but it was hard to explain that first 45 minutes. We were two yards off the pace all over the field, but I saw a lot of good things during the second half."

Rix emerged from the predictable pantomime reception and engaged in a warm embrace with Calderwood. At that, a supportive banner proclaiming 'Rix can fix us the title' was unfurled among the pocket of visiting supporters. "They were great to me before, during and after the game," the head coach said gratefully.

Aberdeen were not prepared to spread such goodwill. The training-ground expertise honed in association with coaching luminaries such as Ruud Gullit, Glenn Hoddle and Gianluca Vialli evidently encountered initial transmission problems. The potent fusion of invention and industry responsible for their rapid ascent was rarely evident in a half dominated by an Aberdeen side as consistent as their manager is pale.

"We defended a lot better, but when Hearts got the equaliser you always worry that the roof might fall in," said Calderwood, after watching his side surviving a late assault without any fatal damage. Rix's hope of football offering some respite from the ongoing personal persecution dissolved, ominously enough, after 13 unlucky and unkempt minutes.

Unable to sustain a notable assault on Aberdeen's defence, their own four-pillared fortress showed some unusual signs of penetrability. Jamie Smith's sprightliness caused distinct discomfort to Takis Fyssas, the Greek full-back whose recent injury problems were hardly concealed by a heavy strapping covering his left knee.

A fresh air swipe from Darren Mackie and a botched clearance from Julien Brellier made for an eyesore of a build-up, but Smith's composed finish steered Scott Muirhead's driven cross beyond Craig Gordon.

"We should have had him on the ball more in the second half, because he looked dangerous," said Calderwood ruefully. A hoarse Smith offered a novel explanation. "I don't think they heard me during the second half, maybe I should have had a whistle to get their attention."

Hearts were reliant on Craig Thomson, the whistle-happy referee, to break Aberdeen's stride in a stuttering first half and survived further arrears when Barry Nicholson's long-range shot veered marginally off target. Steven Pressley's attempt to inspire a comeback fell similarly short from a dangerous delivery by Saulius Mikoliunas, the Lithuanian winger, who was reinstated to notable effect.

Hearts problems were easily identifiable. Remedying them was an early test of Rix's credentials. Skacel, Hearts' most consistent source of plunder this season, was a mere spectator in the first half, with the Czech international giving more than one quizzical glance towards the dug-out when his new coach imparted instructions.

Hartley was another forlorn figure, restricted to a holding midfield role as his counterpart, Nicholson, exerted greater influence and found more able and willing accomplices in Smith and Mackie.

Edgaras Jankauskas, the most celebrated signing made under the new regime, continued to confound past achievements with a thoroughly inept contribution. Two of the three players were instrumental to Hearts' rejuvenation. Jankauskas simply gave up the ghost after one bruising challenge two many.

Changes were inevitable. Michael Pospisil, yet another anonymous figure, failed to reappear and was replaced by the exuberance of Calum Elliot. Calderwood was unable to resist the perennial temptation either, introducing Gary Dempsey for Michael Hart and, for good measure, assigning Chris Clark to right-back.

The alterations did little to enliven a turgid and untidy duel. Hearts offered only a fleeting glimpse of the slick play so prominent before the off-field upheaval overshadowed their prosperity, but the influence of both Hartley and Skacel grew ominously and the inability of Aberdeen to reinforce their supremacy heightened Calderwood's agitation. At the end of his tether after serial malfunctioning, he was cursing his luck again when Hearts fashioned an appropriately fortuitous equaliser.

Jankauskas won a rare joust with Russell Anderson and Skacel's shot clipped the body of Dempsey, with its trajectory deceiving Esson and arcing into the net. Suddenly, the early Premierleague pace-setters had rediscovered their zest.

The comeback was almost complete just moments later. Hartley's free-kick was inadequately cleared, leaving an exposed Esson to make a firm, instinctive block from a reinvigorated Skacel. Pressley, an unlikely poacher inside the six-yard box, blazed the rebound wildly over the crossbar when a much more subtle finish was required.

A moment of lamentable defending offered the visitors another gilt-edged opportunity. Clark's sliced clearance sent Elliot scampering away, but the prompt attention of Esson some way from his goal cleared the immediate danger, with Nicholson on hand to shepherd Hartley's adventurous chip away from an unoccupied goal.

Skacel's free-kick looked destined to curl into the top corner of the Aberdeen net, but Esson's finger-tip save spared further concession, although the referee and his assistants failed to acknowledge his vital intervention.

Taken from the Herald