HE'S ONE ELL OF A PLAYER

HEARTS 3

MOTHERWELL 0

COMEBACK hero Edgaras Jankauskas stole the show with a classy double to floor Well then handed all the plaudits to rookie hitkid Calum Elliot.

The Lithuanian targetman put six weeks of injury misery behind him to fire Jambos into a two-goal lead inside 14 minutes with his second an absolute screamer.

But rather than basking in his own glory the former Porto ace lavished praise on 18-year-old Elliot who sealed victory late on with his fourth goal in five games.

Elliot has shown maturity beyond his years to lead the line in the absence of experienced strikers Jankauskas and Roman Bednar - and that's why his team-mate is backing him for Young Player of the Year.

Jankauskas said: "It has been difficult to watch the team knowing I could do nothing to help but Calum has done a brilliant job.

"For an 18-year-old to handle that kind of responsibility is fantastic and he deserves to be named Young Player of the Year.

"He is as good as any youngster I have seen. He is only 18 but already has everything a striker needs."

Elliot was impressive again yesterday but the contribution of Jankauskas offered a glimpse of what might have been for Hearts this season were it not for repeated injury setbacks.

This was only the sixth game the Lithuanian has been available to boss Graham Rix since his arrival in November - and he wasted no time in showing his class after luckless Well gave the hosts a huge scare at the start.

Hearts were in mouths as Scott McDonald showed great feet to make space in midfield and release Richie Foran down the left then continue his run to meet the cross with a header that cracked the post.

Jambos' response was immediate and Rudi Skacel stormed down the left to deliver a low cross inside, blocked but not cleared by Stephen Craigan, allowing Jankauskas to blast into the net from six yards.

The dream start for Hearts got better in 14 minutes as Jankauskas showed what they've been missing in the last six weeks with a stunning second.

The big hitman started the move, channelling Deividas Cesnauskis down the right.

His countryman's cross was cut out by a Martin Corrigan back-heel that rolled straight into the path of the onrushing striker.

And Jankauskas didn't even break stride as he unleashed a devastating shot into the top right corner. You had to feel for keeper Colin Meldrum, given a late call up to the starting 11 when Graeme Smith suffered a groin strain, because he could have done nothing about both goals.

With shellshocked Well's game plan in tatters they responded with some hefty tackling that led to a spate of bookings.

Alan McCormack was putting himself about and could have been booked for catching Takis Fyssas late in front of an outraged Wheatfield Stand.

But team-mates Jim Hamilton and Brian Kerr were not so lucky after felling Robbie Neilson and Bruno Aguiar.

Cesnauskis followed them into the book six minutes before the break for digging an elbow into Foran's ribs as this niggly spell was fought out off the ball as well.

Then just before the break Well almost hauled themselves back into it as Kerr cleverly stepped inside Steven Pressley on the edge of the area only to see his shot tipped over.

McCormack escaped a booking again just after the restart for chopping down Julien Brellier but the physical battle had succeeded in stemming Hearts' early creativity.

In the home dug-out new director of football Jim Duffy had quietly kept his counsel in the corner. But by the 55th minute and with the game at a frustrating impasse he could contain his instincts no longer and in a flash that distinctive bald head was up barking instructions.

Still, Hearts could be satisfied defending their lead and it was chasing Well who made the first change, Stephen McGarry for McDonald, in 66 minutes.

Hearts quickly followed suit replacing one comeback striker, Jankauskas, with another as Roman Bednar ended his three month lay-off. Well came close when a Craigan header hit the bar before another switch, Phil O'Donnell a 71st-minute replacement for Kevin McBride.

Five minutes later Foran was booked for crudely clattering into Cesnauskis.

Hearts sealed a comfortable win in 78 minutes as Elliot scampered on to Fyssas' pumped ball forward and coolly lifted the ball over the closing keeper.

The scorer's joy turned to bemusement with 10 minutes to go as he was harshly booked for kicking the ball back to Well at a free-kick that summed up ref Charlie Richmond's day.

A clutch of late substitutions only delayed the inevitable as Hearts' quality could not be denied by gutsy Well's endeavour.

MATCH STATS

SHOTS ON 7

SHOTS OFF 2

OFFSIDE 4

FOULS 22

CORNERS 3

BOOKINGS 2

HEARTS v MOTHERWELL

SHOTS ON 1

SHOTS OFF 9

OFFSIDE 3

FOULS 19

CORNERS 4

BOOKINGS 3

ref watch

CHARLIE RICHMOND had his work cut out in this ding-dong physical battle but made too many bad calls against both sides to earn pass marks. Rating: 5/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail