A CZAR IS BORN

Hearts 1

Aberdeen 0

VLADIMIR ROMANOV vaulted on to the ledge in front of the directors' box and was finally acclaimed as the Czar of Tynecastle.

The little Lithuanian-based Russian has more millions than anyone could spend but he found a new wealth last night. He found his his way into the hearts of an entire support who have had to deal with chaos and madness throughout a crazy season.

While Steven Pressley, who has been like a rock throughout the turmoil, led his team-mates on a lap of honour after the win which clinched their place in next season's Champions League qualifiers and Romanov wandered out on to the pitch and took a bow.

His decisions have baffled and bemused and often seemed designed to deny Pressley and his mates this special moment - Hearts have not played in UEFA's premier tournament since 1960 when it was known simply as the European Cup - but all was forgotten and forgiven.

Romanov can do no wrong now. Even if the fans return to Tynecastle next season to find it is a car park they'd believe he had a good reason.

He owns this club and has these fans eating out of his hand but then he has delivered. And in spectacular fashion, too. He has also brought colour to the Scottish game and his side have given the SPL new credibility.

They have split the Old Firm and denied Rangers the chance to sneak into the Champions League. Sunday's match at Ibrox holds no significance now and Hearts can relax and look forward to the Tennent's Scottish Cup final against Gretna.

And as Pressley told the fans after, the pressure to win that game is now off. Hearts' European place has been secured and it was appropriate that Paul Hartley should be the one to score the crucial goal.

He slammed the ball in from the penalty spot early in the second half and after that it was a case of warming up for the mother of all parties.

Even the great stoic, coach Valdas Ivanuaskas, cracked a smile at the end although he seemed a little reluctant to join in the celebrations. He stood to one side while Romanov and the players took the plaudits but he was eventually dragged into the centre of the beldam.

He has done a good job to keep the team on course for glory and even before the match started last night you could sense Hearts knew this was the one they had to win. Had they lost to Aberdeen, who had only been beaten twice in their last 16 matches, it might have been too much for them to lift themselves for Sunday.

No need now, though. Despite the traumas, the uncertainties and the confusion which have swamped Tynecastle, the job has been done. Hearts are second but don't let anyone say they aren't winners.

Jimmy Calderwood's objective was to get Aberdeen back into Europe, even though he was aiming for the secondary UEFA Cup.

He looked confident as he urged his players on and Kevin McNaughton wasted no time as he stormed out of defence with only seconds on the clock.

He prodded a pass through to Ritchie Foster but the intent was read by keeper Craig Gordon who cleaned up and Hearts were on the move with Roman Bednar pounding down the inside-right channel before cutting the ball back to Edgaras Jankauskas.

He mishit his shot but it was a storming start as it usually always is when Hearts are involved but this time Aberdeen, unlike Celtic at the weekend, were not caught cold.

Again Gordon had to dive on Foster's low cross although Russell Anderson, one of our game's real unsung heroes, denied Bednar and Jankauskas at the other end.

Calderwood threw his hands up in despair as the man with the tan saw Zander Diamond give the ball away for the second successive time.

There was another grimace when it became clear Stevie Crawford's shift was over after 33 minutes when he had to hobble off.

Darren Mackie was sent on just in time to see Diamond throw himself full length to head away a dangerous Jankauskas cross.

Then Hartley zipped downfield before leaving the ball to Bednar whose cross from the right was almost knocked in by Skacel.

The goal Hearts' fans craved remained elusive although Bednar should have done more than dwell on the ball seconds before the break allowing a chance to slip away.

Ivanuaskas would have been telling his side during the interval they needed to get the job done rather than take their quest to Sunday and the message seemed to register as Bednar and then Skacel ran at the Aberdeen defence, forcing Anderson into a less than elegant clearance.

Even Neilson, who can send a throw-in longer than some can kick, seemed to have greater power in his arms and he launched the ball deep into dangerous areas causing chaos.

Then, in 52 minutes, keeper Jamie Langfield missed Skacel's corner fromthe right, Bednar got a flick on and Anderson appeared to use a hand to prevent the goal.

He should have been ordered to walk by referee Stuart Dougal but was only booked much to the dismay of Hearts' fans but all through the arguing and shouting Hartley remained calm and apart.

He had to take the penalty and nothing was going to distract him. When the referee gave him the nod he belted the ball into Langfield's net and Tynecastle went crazy.

Hartley's 17th goal of the season brought the Champions League within touching distance but the Dons were not done and Gary Dempsey was sent on for Diamond, who was toiling.

Hearts took off Skacel and sent on Sailius Mikoliunas in 65 minutes as the cold night air became charged with even more tension.

Hearts were edging ever closer to their goal but the fans didn't dare believe and some actually turned away when Aberdeen looked like breaking forward. But there was no real belief now in the Dons attacks.

Hearts fans were on their feet as Mikoliunas turned on the edge of the box and sent in a shot Langfield just managed to touch away.

How they all needed a second goal which would ease the pressure and have Gorgie's landlords rubbing their hands in gleeful anticipation but Aberdeen were stubborn if not stylish although they were in further trouble 10 minutes from the end when Severin was sent off.

He had clattered into Aguiar and Dougal had no hesitation in pulling out the red card. Calderwood stared at the ground, the grand plan he had been working on and the expectations dashed.

Yet with the prize even closer to Hearts a strange silence seemed to descend on Tynecastle.

Then the fans found their voices again although the songs and chants lacked their earlier volume but the reception Bednar received when he made way for Michal Pospisil a few minutes from time shook the dust from the rafters.

All Hearts had to do was keep their heads and the ball. Just play simple passes and run down the clock and when Smith's cross from the right drifted over the roof of Gordon's net more precious seconds were lost.

Even more were spent with Hearts making another change. Aguiar went off Julien Brellier took over. Only two more minutes and it would be over. Ibrox on Sunday would be a formality and now Hearts fans believed fully.

When Dougal blew the final whistle Romanov made his triumphant leap on to the front of the directors'box.Mission accomplished.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Roman Bednar (Hearts)

HEARTS - Gordon 6, Neilson 6, Pressley 7, Tall 7, Fyssas 6, Cesnauskas 5, Aguiar 7 (Brellier 90) 1, Hartley 7, Skacel 7 (Mikoliunas 66) 2, Jankauskas 6, Bednar 7 (Pospisil 88) 1. Subs not used: Banks, Berra, Wallace, Barasa.

ABERDEEN - Langfield 7, Diamond 5 (Dempsey 66) 2, Anderson 7, Severin 6, Byrne 6, Foster 6, McNaughton 7, Nicholson 7, Smith 6, Lovell 4 (Mackie 33) 6, Crawford 6. Subs not used: Esson, Considine, Macauley, Maguire, Griffin.

Taken from the Daily Record