Hearts 4 - 0 Dunfermline

As soon as the team sheets were delivered, you suspected the hand of Vlad.

Andy Webster consigned to the bench for stalling on a new contract, Julien Brellier suffering the same fate for, well, just for being Julien Brellier, and leading goalscorer Rudi Skacel not even in the squad.

The Czech midfielder allegedly stormed out of Tynecastle after learning the news and was yesterday linked with a move to Southampton, where he would be reunited with the most successful of Hearts' many managers this season, George Burley.

Despite the intrigue, the Tynecastle fans seemed unconcerned, as they have all season in the face of the Romanov family's eccentricity. Get us to second place and the Champions League and everything can be forgiven, is the message.

When they weren't casting aspersions on their city rivals' sexuality to the tune of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, or chanting "You've only got bird flu" to the travelling Fifers, the home support were revelling in a first-half display that blew Dunfermline away.

Yes, Jim Leishman's team were awful and for that reason it was hard to truly gauge Hearts' merits. But this was a clear message to Rangers: we welcome the chase.

Still three points ahead, another four goals increases their advantage over Rangers to 12, almost worth a point itself at this stage of the season.

There was more good news after the game, when the SPL's post-split fixtures gave Hearts the easier run-in. While Rangers have three games out of five away, one of which is an Old Firm derby, Hearts are at home three times and even their visit to Easter Road does not look so daunting, given Hibs' poor form and recent results between the teams.

And Vlad's decision-making seems to be paying off: Brellier looked clumsy and off the pace in the 1-0 defeat to Celtic last week, in stark contrast to his replacement on Saturday, Bruno Aguiar.

The Portuguese was a class apart in central midfield. His direct opponents were Dunfermline's second or third choices in that position and the former Benfica player dominated them with ease, never wasting a pass and dictating the tempo of the game.

José Gonçalves, Webster's replacement, was untroubled, while Romanov's compatriots Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskis on the wings were more effective than they have been in the past. The goals, though, had little to do with Hearts' team selection and much to do with Dunfermline's incompetence. Three in the first 25 minutes, and all of them came from throw-ins on the right wing 25 metres from the bye-line.

First, Robbie Neilson launches one into the box; Michal Pospisil beats his marker with contemptuous ease to head home. Seven minutes gone, 1-0.

Second, Neilson throws short to Pospisil's feet; he lays it back, Neilson crosses, Roman Bednar beats his marker with contemptuous ease to head home. Fourteen minutes gone, 2-0.

Third, Paul Hartley throws to Neilson, he crosses, Miko-liunas beats his marker with contemptuous ease to tap home. Twenty-five minutes gone, 3-0 and the game well and truly over.

The second half, understandably, was not as exciting as the first as Hearts conserved their energy. Aguiar did his best to crown a superb performance with a goal and sub Juho Makela, making only his second appearance (perhaps courtesy of Mr Romanov) headed a fourth.

Teenage midfielder Greg Ross was shown a red card late on for hacking Aguiar to seal a wretched day for Dunfermline, who must be looking nervously at the upcoming fixtures.

A few more displays this abject and it might, just might, not be too late for Livingston to haul them back.

Taken from the Herald