STONEWAILER

HEARTS skipper Steven Pressley had best call his bus company this morning and make sure that double decker is also available for May 14.

Elvis joked last week he now has so many team-mates at Tynecastle he needs a bus with upstairs and down to cart the boys around on a big night out.

The first-team squad at Hearts now numbers 39 players, but they will happily create space on the top deck for another arrival, who last spent 12 months on loan at Tynecastle from the summer of 1998.

The Scottish Cup has been as rare a sight in the capital in recent years as an MSP on public transport, but there is growing belief the Jambos are about to take it on another tour of the city under Graham Rix.

Goodness - and whisper this around The Diggers, Robertson's and The Tynecastle Arms - even referees are suddenly doing them a turn.

On the evidence of the scoreline, this looked a casual brush-off of the Dons by the high-flying Jambos but their victory was impressive, perversely, because they did not play especially well.

However, their devastating goals-scored-to-chances-created ratio is as high as the self-confidence currently coursing through the veins of Rix's squad.

Hearts lacked the fluency from seven days earlier when they demolished Hibs, especially in the middle of the park, but that was unsurprising with regulars such as Paul Hartley, Rudi Skacel and Takis Fyssas laid low through illness or suspension.

Nevertheless, they still dismantled the Dons with their stunning precision in front of goal, though defensively Jimmy Calderwood's side were also masters of their own downfall.

Teenage striker Calum Elliot showed the nifty footwork of namesake Billy with a mini pirouette at the front post to knock a Deividas Cesnauskis cross past Jamie Langfield on 34 minutes with the outside of his right boot.

Earlier, he had quick-stepped past Kevin McNaughton on the right wing and picked out strike partner Michal Pospisil to fire home an unstoppable volley from 12 yards for the opener.

Two chances, two goals and too much for the huge red army behind Langfield's goal to take, especially after the game's major talking point midway through the first half.

The Dons were absolutely justified in expressing their anger afterwards at a decision in between the strikes by ref Kenny Clark that could have had ramifications for the remainder of the match.

Calderwood's side had given as good as they got in the early stages and when Steve Crawford found himself in space deep inside the Jambos area he looked to be pulled back by Andy Webster as he prepared to burst the net from close range.

It was a stonewaller, but on a day where Hearts were promoting a display of flags in the stadium by their supporters, they were awful happy to see linesman Neil Brand keep his by his side.

Dons skipper Russell Anderson said: "You only had to look at the eyes of the Hearts players when the penalty wasn't given to see the relief.

"The referee said he did not see it and I accept that, but I thought linesmen changed their titles to assistant referees so they could assist referees in making decisions.

"Afterwards, the officials said they didn't see it at all, then they said Steve played for the penalty, so make up your own mind about that.

"To say Steve looked for it when he was three yards out and only had to tap it in does not make any sense.

"On the face of it, it looks as if we've been well beaten but there was a huge turning point and we all saw it."

Webster should have walked for preventing a certain scoring opportunity, but to rub salt in the wounds Pressley slotted home a penalty in first-half injury time after Zander Diamond tripped Pospisil and was promptly dismissed.

It was another close call for the spot-kick but the original tackle looked outside the box.

Anderson said: "The mark on the pitch where the tackle went in suggested Zander was outside the box, but he should have stayed up and he knows that. Their guy had a narrow angle to shoot from anyway and Jamie had a better chance of saving it. Again, I thought the linesman could have helped us but I understand why the penalty was given. There weren't three goals in the game but we gave away silly, soft goals.

"It was easy for Hearts to knock the ball around in the second half but we didn't lie down. We forced Craig Gordon to make a couple of good saves which was the least anyone could expect."

Bosnian winger Mirsad Belija had a low key debut for the Jambos and caused concern when he was carried off on a stretcher after being caught on the knee by the studs of sub John Stewart.

However, he was standing signing autographs after the game which suggests the injury is not as bad as first feared.

Finnish striker Juho Makela also came on as a second-half sub and put himself about well but it was Jose Goncalves who caught the eye in the left-back slot normally occupied by flu-victim Fyssas.

The former FC Thun star is a stunning physical and athletic presence and has such an astonishing long throw he could stand on the ramparts of the castle and lob a ball into the Forth.

Goncalves was part of an impressive defensive line for Hearts while Pospisil and, Elliot continue to catch the eye in attack.

Hearts had done the hard work in the first half and couldn't quite regain the tempo after the interval when the Dons went man for man at the back.

They played well for a 10-man team and created a couple of decent chances towards the end, but each time Gordon stood up well.

Calderwood said: "It was very, very difficult at half-time but I told the players they could surrender or show their worth and they gave everything.

"Steve Crawford is an honest lad and he said the incident in the first half was a stonewall penalty. If we'd been awarded it and their lad had been sent off it might have made the game a different story.

"I take nothing away from Hearts, who took their goals well, but we've got to look at our defence for losing two similar goals." Rix said: "Michal Pospisil really comes alive in the box and Calum Elliot led the line excellently.

"Do I fancy a Hearts-Hibs final? As long as we get there, I don't care who we play."

HEARTS-Gordon 7, Neilson 6, Pressley 7, Webster 7, Goncalves 7, Brellier 6 (McAllister 3), Beslija 6 (Wallace 2), Cesnauskis 6, Johnson 6, Elliot 8 (Makela 3), Pospisil 7. Subs not used: Banks, Berra, Wallace.

ABERDEEN- Langfield 6, McNaughton 6, Anderson 7, Diamond 3, Clark 6, Severin 6, Smith 7 (Snoyl 2), Nicholson 6, Foster 5 (Stewart 6), Crawford 6, Griffin 6 (McAuley 3). Subs not used: Esson, Mackie.

Referee-K Clark.

MAN OF THE MATCH Calum Elliot (Hearts)

Taken from the Daily Record