Jambos home in on crucial period

Hearts 2
Livingston 1

SHOULD Hearts continue December in the manner in which they started the month, it could well prove the season to be jolly for new boss Graham Rix.

After two difficult away games to kick off his reign, the former England international took charge of his first match at Tynecastle against Livingston and chalked up his first victory as his side returned to the top of the SPL, if only for 24 hours.

Celtic may have leapfrogged the Jambos back to the top of the table following their victory at Pittodrie yesterday but Hearts are now in a position to cement their claim for a Champions League place.

With third-placed Hibs slumping to defeat at Dundee United and Rangers' woes continuing as Falkirk fought back from 2-0 down to secure a point at Ibrox, there is now some clear daylight between the top two and the rest of the chasing pack.

Hibs trail by six points with Kilmarnock now having displaced Alex McLeish's side in fourth place, a distant 14 points behind Hearts. Rangers, meanwhile, are a further two adrift.

Take a glance at the forthcoming fixtures for the Gorgie outfit and it soon becomes clear the next few weeks could be a pivotal period in their quest for glory.

With a 100 per cent record at Fortress Tynecastle this season - Livingston were the eighth team in succession to leave empty-handed - it won't have escaped Hearts' rivals' notice that three out of their next four games are at home.

Inverness are the visitors on Saturday before a much-anticipated clash with mis-firing Rangers at Ibrox. Over the festive period, the Jambos play host to Falkirk on Boxing Day before Gordon Strachan's Celtic first foot Rix on New Year's Day.

Having already emerged undefeated from games against Inverness, Falkirk and Celtic away from home this term, Hearts will be licking their lips at the prospect of having a go at them in front of their own supporters.

Rix had been eagerly anticipating his first home game after two testing road trips and his players certainly seemed to benefit from their more familiar surroundings against the Lions.

The memory of their poor starts against Motherwell and Aberdeen were swiftly erased as they threatened to sweep aside the visitors with a whirlwind start.

The Jambos could already have been ahead by the time Rudi Skacel bagged a glorious opener with eight minutes on the clock and seven minutes later the game appeared over as a contest when the Czech Republic internationalist rattled home his second of the match after excellent build-up play from Takis Fyssas, Roman Bednar and Calum Elliot.

Despite their domination, the hosts failed to add to their advantage and ultimately made life hard for themselves after Allan Walker pulled a goal back for Paul Lambert's outfit after 63 minutes.

As Rix highlighted afterwards, had Hearts smashed half-a-dozen goals on Saturday, there could have been few complaints from Livingston. As it was, they were glad to hear the final whistle as the plucky visitors strained every sinew in search of an equaliser.

They thought they had rescued an unlikely point after Gabor Vincze's long throw-in bounced over Craig Gordon and into the net in the closing minutes, Alan Freeland ruling the effort out as the ball hadn't touched anyone en route to goal.

Livingston were left fuming at the decision but the Scotland No.1 later insisted he had deliberately withdrawn his hands as he knew exactly what had happened.

"It was the right decision as far as I was concerned," said Gordon.

"You have to think quickly on your feet in these situations and I knew the rules and that's why I pulled my hands out of the way. I wouldn't have done it if I'd thought someone had touched the ball."

Regardless, the fans' hearts must have been momentarily in their mouths as they had just seen their team scorn numerous chances in the previous 87 minutes.

"I can't say I enjoyed my first home game as it was always tense," said Rix.

"But I was pleased with what I saw. It was vital to get a victory on Saturday and, to a certain extent, it didn't matter how we did it, we needed the three points.

"But I felt we did it with a certain amount of style, played some good stuff and created a good amount of chances. We came out the traps flying and I was delighted for the lads as they have worked really hard for me over the past three weeks without necessarily getting the rewards. At 2-1, it was always tricky. We were delighted at half-time but we knew they would get an opportunity and I told the players that the next goal was vital. If we scored, it would have been an easier afternoon, if they got it, it could have been a little nervy as proved to be the case. Having said that, we created so many chances. If we had knocked five or six in, it would have been correct."

Rix took further pleasure from seeing Bednar start his first game in two months. The Czech striker came close to marking the occasion with a goal, his shot rebounding off Ludovic Roy's left-hand post two minutes after Walker's strike.

In a highly-entertaining encounter, Michal Pospisil also returned from the cold and came close to netting what would surely have been a contender for goal of the season.

Although axed by Rix after just 45 minutes against Aberdeen, the head coach had stressed there had been no fall-out between the pair and as if to emphasise that point brought him on for the last 13 minutes for the tiring Bednar.

With 85 minutes on the clock, the former Czech Republic Under-21 star attempted an outrageous shot from a ridiculous angle on the right-hand touchline.

A stunned Roy was beaten all ends up as the ball drifted over his head towards the far corner but Pospisil was denied a famous goal by the woodwork, his effort coming back off the inside off the right-hand post and rebounding to safety.

It would have been a spectacular finale to the afternoon but ultimately Rix was just relieved to have his first win tucked away at the first time of asking at Tynecastle. He'll be hoping to add a few more before the year is out.

Taken from the Scotsman