EAMONN BANNON'S footballing experiences have taught him always to guard against complacency so the Hearts players might do well to listen to his cautionary words ahead of their meeting with Dunfermline tomorrow.

Incredibly it's more than 16 years since the Fifers last won in Gorgie, that result coming way back in February 1990 when goals from George O'Boyle and Ross Jack helped them to a 2-0 triumph.
7 Wonders

Bannon, along with the likes of Craig Levein, Alan McLaren and Gary Mackay was part of the Jambos side that took to the pitch that day although none knew at the time it would be the final game before the start of an amazing run.

But with such a sequence comes the weight of expectation and the likelihood that it will come to an end sooner rather than later.

And with there likely to be a party atmosphere by the time the teams run onto the pitch as the 120th anniversary of Tynecastle is celebrated Bannon doesn't want to see the afternoon turn into a damp squib.

"It's incredible to think that it's been so long since Dunfermline have won at Tynecastle," said the ex-Scotland internationalist.

"The law of averages says Dunfermline will have to win in Edinburgh at some stage and the longer the run goes the more you half expect that time to be the next game the teams play.

"It's really unusual to have such a record against another Premier League team and one that you play so often. We had a similar run of wins against Motherwell and then of course there was the 22 in a row against Hibs as well.

"The players will look at the statistics and will just believe they are going to win again. Their confidence will be given a real boost. But there's nothing surer than the fact that it will end at some stage and I just hope it isn't tomorrow. Sometimes there is such a thing as being too confident."

Their 16-year record aside there is little doubt that Valdas Ivanauskas' men go into the crunch clash as firm favourites.

Since the Lithuanian was appointed on an interim basis he has helped guide the side to two victories and they were unfortunate to come away from their match with Celtic on Wednesday night with nothing to show for their efforts.

And Bannon believes that if Hearts play to anything like their full potential they will run out comfortable winners over Jim Leishman's side.

"Rangers are breathing down Hearts' neck in the race for a Champions League place while Dunfermline want to ensure they avoid relegation so it's a big game for both teams," said Bannon. "I watched Dunfermline v Falkirk last weekend and I also see Hearts a fair bit and I have to be honest and say I just can't see Dunfermline winning the game.

"If Hearts play the way they are capable of, I wouldn't say the result is a foregone conclusion because it never is in football, but I'd be very surprised if Dunfermline took anything from the game.

"The league table doesn't lie and the likes of Dunfermline, Livingston and Falkirk are languishing at the bottom of the table because they haven't been good enough.

"Dunfermline and Falkirk only look like surviving because Livingston have been so bad. Under normal circumstances it would be one of them to be relegated at the end of the season.

"They do have one or two players but on the whole they don't compare to Hearts. If you look at the standard of Hearts compared to them there really is the length of the league between the two teams.

"It's a one off game of course but Hearts are professional and still have a Champions League place up for grabs so I don't see them relaxing at all.

"Player for player Hearts are definitely the better team and it's more about how they play as opposed to how Dunfermline play."

Meanwhile, Pars defender Scott Wilson has admitted that trips to face Hearts at Tynceastle are now just as daunting as visits to the likes of Parkhead and Ibrox.

And from the tone of his voice you get the distinct impression he is expecting a testing 90 minutes. "We've had injury problems for a while now and they aren't getting any better, as if it's not daunting enough going to Tynecastle," said Edinburgh-born Wilson.

"We haven't been very good there at all since I came to Dunfermline and on paper it doesn't look like it's going to get any better the way Hearts are playing at the moment.

"I was in the Hearts end at the cup semi-final last weekend as a friend of mine got us tickets, and they played really well.

"I was talking to Hibs fans before the game and a lot of them didn't think they had a chance. It was a bit of a whitewash in the end. From people who watched them play Celtic on Wednesday, I understand they were the better side at Parkhead as well.

"Tynecastle has turned into a bit of a fortress, it's getting like Parkhead and Ibrox now, which is to Hearts' credit because they have made it that way."

However, as a measure of their ability to execute the improbable, the visitors can point to an unexpected success last November in the very cauldron which proved insurmountable to Hearts only two nights ago. Celtic 0, Dunfermline 1 will almost certainly be remembered as the outstanding result of this campaign for Jim Leishman's players, so despite the bulk of evidence favouring the home side there is no accounting for the East End Park side's ability to occasionally produce against the odds.

"Last time at Tynecastle we were doing fine until Hearts scored, then we were swamped a little and ended up losing 2-0," said Wilson.

"The challenge is to score first. That's what Hibs had to do last week and didn't manage it. Hearts came to East End Park in January and totally ran over the top of us, winning 4-1.

"It was quite awesome from our point of view. It used to be only Rangers and Celtic would give you doings like that, but now Hearts are doing it as well.

"That's down to Mr Romanov's investment and the players he has brought in. A lot of people say that they are being paid big money, but they are delivering on the park so you can't deny them it."

Taken from the Scotsman