IN THE run-up to yesterday's Scottish Cup semi-final, I must confess that I had doubts as to whether the off-field traumas of the past few months might lead to another afternoon of desperate disappointment for Hearts supporters.

Even with the depletion of the Hibs squad and Tony Mowbray's clever PR work in the lead up to the game, I wondered if the turbulence at Tynecastle might take its toll and blow the team off course.
7 Wonders

I should have known better. If there has ever been a stronger leader either in the dressing room or on the field than Steven Pressley, I will be surprised. His example, composure and perseverance, let alone his consistency of form in a critical season, bearing in mind what he has had to handle, have been quite magnificent. And then there was Paul Hartley...

Dave Mackay remains arguably the best 'midfield' player the club has ever seen. After another stunning performance on the big stage, however, Paul Hartley has given notice, should he remain at the club for a few more seasons, that he could yet be hoisted to legendary status alongside one of the heroes of the great Hearts team of the 50s. True comparisons of players from different eras, of course, are invidious, but constantly create terrific conversation pieces for supporters.

The older ones among us will confirm that there was never a harder nor fairer tackler than Mackay. Tirelessly and skilfully as Paul Hartley does his defensive work in midfield, Mackay might shade him in that respect. His touch and passing ability were superb. So is Hartley's. Mackay scored goals from midfield and took great penalties - but on how many occasions did they destroy teams as clinically as Hartley's magnificent hat-trick killed off Hibs yesterday?

Defenders will mark, tackle, cover, and protect for as long as the opposition play to the script which they have had drilled into them by managers and coaches in all of the tactical preparations before a particular game. As soon as something which is not in the script happens, however, it throws them. Paul Hartley is, simply, unsurpassed in creating that uncertainty in the last third of the field which, ultimately, opens gaps and creates mayhem in the penalty box.

He did it three times yesterday to destroy Hibs; the devastating Hearts counter-attack from their own half after 27 minutes was a classic. Hartley's run from his own half into the killer area of Hibs' penalty box showed fantastic vision. It was impossible to defend, and the flick of the outside of his boot from Edgaras Jankauskas' equally lethal pass was perfection. Memories of Kenny Dalglish come flooding back to me every time I see Paul Hartley; he reads, creates and finishes moves seconds ahead of the rest.

Neutrals, and no doubt Hibs supporters as well, may blame Zbigniew Malkowski for a positional error as Hartley took the free kick which, in all probability, would have settled the game even without the two dismissals suffered by Hibs. What a sumptuous strike, however; what skill to control the swerve on the ball to within a foot of his desired target. Goalkeeper at fault or not, this was footballing skill at the highest level. He had given plenty warning in the first half, of course, with another spell-binding free kick which Malkowski did well to divert.

Hartley's long ball from his own half which set Michal Pospisil off on the run which led to the fourth goal, when the latter was brought down in the box, was criticised by some observers as "a mis-hit". I would like to see it again; irrespective of where it eventually landed, it was destined to create chaos over the top of a depleted back line which, at that stage, wanted a turn and chase like a hole in the head.

And yet there were times in the first half when, with more composure outside the Hearts penalty box, Hibs could have capitalised on the space which was available in front of Steven Pressley and co. Depleted as Mowbray's squad may have been, Hearts were obviously apprehensive about the pace of Ivan Sproule in particular. The Hibs winger may well rue the tame right-footer from close range he sent straight at Craig Gordon after a swift Hibs burst down the right; a minute later, Hearts took the lead and the huge psychological effects on both teams cannot be underestimated.

The questions will be asked, of course, about the likely outcome had Mowbray not lost Garry O'Connor, Derek Riordan, Chris Killen and Michael Stewart, to name but four. It is academic, but their presence in this semi-final might well have lifted a match which was always tense, rather than brilliantly exciting, to a different level. In arguments to the contrary, the huge Hearts support which has had one of its most exasperating seasons in its history, will confirm with understandable conviction that their heroes would simply have stepped up a gear and won this semi-final anyway. There was, in particular, no-one in a green jersey to touch Hartley for vision, creation or clinical finishing.

I have fond memories myself of a few important hat-tricks in key matches. They pale into insignificance, however, when laid alongside one of the most stunning individual performances ever witnessed from a Hearts player in such a critical match. The skill of Hartley, allied to that of many of his team-mates, could well be the springboard which at long last leads to the destruction in seasons ahead of the Glasgow monopoly within Scottish football and - given a reasonable moratorium in mind- boggling announcements from the boardroom - might, with a bit of luck, be the start of something big. As we all know, it is long overdue.

The celebrations which will justifiably go on are long overdue. Football followers are well accustomed to coping with disappointments and for far more years than we care to remember, Hearts supporters have had to suffer more than their fair share. With fingers crossed - and trying hard to keep everything in perspective - the fervent hope is that the good times are back.

Taken from the Scotsman