Dunfermline Ath 1 - 4 Hearts

MARK WILSON at East End Park January 16 2006

Scorers: Dunfermline Ath – Burchill (58); Hearts – Pressley (28), Pospisil (54, 67), Skacel (81)

Will Hearts miss Steven Pressley most when a) desperately defending inside their own penalty area or b) anxiously trying to force a breakthrough at the other end? Answers should be scribbled on the back of some Elvis memorabilia and dispatched to Tynecastle once the Scotland defender has served his two-match suspension.

"Pressley the predator", as he was christened by Graham Rix, made it on to his third consecutive scoresheet with the opening goal in this restorative victory for Hearts after the trauma of their last Bank of Scotland Premierleague outing. Celtic may still enjoy a seven-point lead earned from that Gorgie ramraid on New Years' Day, but there is little sign of capitulation from those in maroon.

Now, though, they will have to do without their captain, an embodiment of defiance, for crucial matches against Kilmarnock and Hibernian. On the positive side, at least Rudi Skacel can cease stressing his status as scorer supreme.

"I said to Rudi in the dressing room that I'm after his eight-in-a-row record," smiled Pressley, who went through the disciplinary points threshold against Celtic. "That's three consecutive scoring games for me now, and six goals in total, but unfortunately it's going to come to an end next week."

The 32-year-old is too self-effacing to predict any problems in his absence and instead provided an exemplary reference for his expected stand-in.

"I think we have a very able deputy in Christophe Berra," he said. "He's a smashing player who's had to bide his time but whenever he's come in, he's done extremely well."

Neil McCann's name dominated chat among Hearts supporters as they prepare to welcome back the winger, part of their 1998 Scottish Cup winning-side. "Neil would be an excellent acquisition," Pressley said. "One of the important aspects is that he is a Scottish player and we have to make sure that balance stays right in the dressing room."

Pressley's latest attacking intervention came after 28 minutes when he stabbed in a cross-shot from Calum Elliot following a Paul Hartley free-kick. Michal Pospisil then made it 2-0 nine minutes after the restart with a smart first-time finish.

Dunfermline had been dire but briefly bloomed after Mark Burchill smashed in his seventh goal in 12 starts from close range. An Ian Ross strike was then chalked off before Pospisil's looping header restored a cushion for Hearts.

There was a touch of elan about their fourth and final goal as the outstanding Julien Brellier surged forward and disguised a through ball for Skacel, who slid the ball under Alan McGregor with a deft finish. Glenn Hoddle, the Wolves manager, sat watching from the stand and, while Paul Hartley was his reported target, his eye would have been equally taken by that refined duo.

Rix, though, rejected any talk of departures with McCann set to be joined next week by further new arrivals. Debuts were given to Nerius Barasa and Lee Johnson from the substitutes bench, but the head coach reserved special praise for Pospisil.

"Big things have been made about a rift between Michal and myself but that's never been further from the truth," said Rix.

"Believe it or not, I said to him before the game that he would score and took Miko [Saulius Mikoliunas] along as a witness."

Taken from the Herald