Hearts 1 Rangers 1

By SUN ONLINE REPORTER

ALEX McLEISH claimed Rangers' "brilliant" fightback proved they can overhaul Hearts' six-point lead in the battle for Scotland's second Champions League spot.

Edgaras Jankauskas slotted the hosts' ninth-minute opener, but Thomas Buffel deservedly scrambled Gers' level midway through the second period.

McLeish said: "That is a brilliant comeback by us considering the draining effects of the European campaign this season.

"I feel strong about where we will finish this season."

The outgoing Rangers chief added: "I felt we dominated much of the game.

"The spirit was there for everyone to see and I am disappointed we didn't finish one of our chances.

"We had a half-chance here and there and Craig Gordon made a brilliant save from Buffel.

"But we thoroughly deserved the equaliser."

Hearts boss Graham Rix was almost as upbeat as his club chase their first ever season in Europe's top competition.
Rix said: "We are disappointed but Rangers are a good side and you have to respect that.

"The goal we gave away was disappointing but I would need to see a review of the game before saying any more.

"But we showed a lot of spirit because, when they did equalise, we stuck together.

"I would need to see their goal again. Burke seemed to get a lot of space to put a decent cross in. But it was difficult to see from where I was.

"But I was delighted with the lads and their attitude. Overall, I'm not too disappointed."

Third-placed Gers have cut Hearts' 16-point advantage to six points.

And in a lively clash, marred early on by petty fouls, the hungrier hosts went in front.

Midfielder Deividas Cesnauskis tore past full-back Ian Murray on the right to release Paul Hartley down the wing, albeit possibly in an offside position.

The Scotland international's cutback to the six-yard box gave big Lithuanian Jankauskas a simple task of sliding the ball past Light Blues' keeper Ronald Waterreus from close-in.

The visitors' response, neat in midfield, generally threatened little, but Hearts keeper Craig Gordon produced a fine save from Peter Lovenkrands' drive.

An enthralling and physical contest swung from end to end, with passion the driving force and the Edinburgh hosts perhaps slightly the more dangerous side.

Rangers had a disjointed look about them, especially in the final third, while at the other end the strength of Jankauskas and Roman Bednar unsettled the visitors' defence.

Just two minutes to go before the interval, though, Chris Burke skilfully gave Jambos stopper Andy Webster the slip wide on the right and flashed a cross that evaded a touch in the middle.

Bednar's fierce cross-shot had Waterreus flapping soon after the break, but the game slipped back into its tetchy and antagonistic rhythm.

The Gorgie rearguard looked solid, repelling the Light Blues' tentative approaches with relative ease, although they had Gordon to thank for a wonderful save in the 55th minute.

A Lovenkrands free-kick from 25 yards struck the Jambos defensive wall and broke to Buffel, whose shot on the turn was only kept out when the Scotland number one threw himself spectacularly to his right to palm the ball behind.

Cesnauskis and Jankauskas fired wide in what were, by now, rarer Hearts raids.

But in the 64th minute Rangers conjured an equaliser their rising tempo merited.

Dado Prso set Burke up on the right for a cross that Buffel bundled in.

Rangers were so on top at this stage that Gordon was genuinely busy.

Nonetheless, Pressley bulleted a Hartley corner over the bar from six yards to show the home side were far from happy to settle for a point.

Burke, though, missed a decent chance on 77 minutes when he was set up by substitute Kris Boyd, slicing wide his angled shot from close range.

Then Burke set up Buffel again with another fine cross, but this time the Belgian sent his right-footed shot from 16 yards wide.

Still the excitement continued and a 35-yard snap-shot from Hearts full-back Robbie Neilson clipped the bar.