HEARTS 4

DUNFERMLINE 0

ROBBIE NEILSON laid on three goals then urged rampant Jambos to maintain their sparkling form and render the final-day crunch with Rangers meaningless.

The defender was chief tormentor of the Pars defence as he set up first-half strikes for Michal Pospisil, Roman Bednar and Saulius Mikoliunas.

Sub Juho Makela added the finishing touch to the celebrations with No.4 on Tynecastle's 120th birthday but it's doubtful the famous old stadium has ever witnessed such a one-sided contest.

But Neilson insisted Jambos had to be professional and rack up as many goals as possible as they bid to leave Rangers lagging and clinch second spot as quickly as possible.

He said: "It was good to carry on from the way we played at Parkhead.

While it was nice to set up the goals that is the easy bit and the strikers are there to finish them.

"Goal difference could be important at the end so we knew once we got in front we had to keep it going.

"Our aim is to go to Ibrox for the final game of the season at least four points ahead of Rangers so they won't be able to catch us.

"But if it does go all the way I am more than confident we can go there and get a victory.

"However, if we win every game second place is in the bag for us and our goal difference is worth an extra point."

Hearts were sensational in the first half and a major hammering for Pars looked on the cards.

And this was without Scotland defender Andy Webster, who was relegated to the bench, axed Rudi Skacel and injured Edgaras Jankauskas.

Dunfermline had no answer to Jambos' whirlwind start and were camped in their own box as they tried to resist wave after wave of attack.

Within the first minute Deividas Cesnauskis was allowed to run from deep unchallenged before unleashing a fierce 25-yard shot that whistled just past.

The next Lithuanian threat came from the opposite flank with a snap-shot from Mikoliunas that Allan McGregor saw late and did well to fist away.

Dunfermline were rocking from a series of vicious inswinging corners by Paul Hartley and it was remarkable they managed to withstand the onslaught.

But the opener came in the seventh minute from a long Neilson throw-in.

Pars seemed surprised by the length of Neilson's delivery but Pospisil timed his run to perfection before steering his volley past McGregor from the edge of the six-yard box.

Goal No.2 came in 13 minutes with Neilson again the creator.

He sent over a teasing cross that Bednar directed into the net with a looping back header.

And the third exposed the shambles down Dunfermline's left flank where Scott Thomson was being ripped to shreds.

Hartley even had time to have a joke with the crowd before a quick throw-in to Neilson. His cutback found Mikoliunas who drove a low shot through a sea of bodies and into the net.

It was simple stuff and the only surprise was Pars made it to the interval without losing another goal.

Bednar and Cesnauskis had great chances to extend the lead but a combination of bad finishing and good goalkeeping from McGregor kept the marauding home side at bay.

Dunfermline were rarely out of their own half and their inability to string two passes together or keep hold of the ball cost them dear.

But there was so much to admire about Hearts' display.

Bruno Aguiar was outstanding in midfield, switching play from side to side.

And his dominance of the engine room allowed Hartley the luxury of leaving his normal beat to make penetrating runs down the flanks. Seconds before the interval Mark Bur chill found himself far enough upfield to have a crack at goal but his 25-yard effort was watched all the way by Craig Gordon and cleanly held.

Aguiar had a couple of cracks at goal just after the interval and if anyone deserved to be on the scoresheet it was the Portuguese ace.

Hearts were allowed the luxury of easing off and seeing what Pars could throw at them which wasn't much.

However, Steven Pressley had to look lively to boot a dangerous Burchill cross to safety and from the resultant corner Andy Tod headed just over.

Tynecastle coach Valdas Ivanauskas decided to give his squad a run with Pospisil replaced in 57 minutes by Makela. Ten minutes later Mikoliunas made way for Mirsad Beslija.

But the biggest standing ovation was reserved for Hampden hero Hartley 60 seconds later when he was subbed for Julien Brellier.

Noel Hunt limped off at the same time and Bartosz Tarachulski took his place.

The towering Pole became the first booking for a crunching challenge on Bednar that ended referee Charlie Richmond's leniency. And there was no mistaking the decision to show the red card to young Greg Ross in the 86th minute for a lunge at Aguiar after he had been dispossessed.

The Portuguese had to limp off - leaving both teams to play out the final few minutes with 10 men.

Before then Hearts had wrapped up the scoring with Makela exposing Dunfermline's slack defending to head home an Aguiar corner.

Ivanauskas, who refused to look ahead to the possible Champions League place showdown against Rangers at Ibrox, said: "I was very happy with the team's first-half performance

"But there are four games to go before we face Rangers - a long way."

ref watch

CHARLIE RICHMOND was in lenient mood as he let a few incidents pass without punishment. But no arguments about the straight red card for Greg Ross' awful tackle on Aguiar. Rating: 6/10.

MATCH STATS

SHOTS ON 10

SHOTS OFF 11

OFFSIDE 3

FOULS 12

CORNERS 8

BOOKINGS 0

HEARTS v DUNFERMLINE

SHOTS ON 1

SHOTS OFF 1

OFFSIDE 2

FOULS 10

CORNERS 2

BOOKINGS 1

Taken from the Sunday Mail