QUALITY OF JAMBOS' PENALTIES WAS TOP DRAWER

IN the end Hearts celebrated more in relief than anything else.

Like most Jambos at Hampden yesterday I thought it would be much more comfortable for the SPL club who have qualified for the Champions League - but what an effort from Second Division champions Gretna.

Had Hearts been two or three goals in front after 45 minutes no one could have complained.

Cup finals are great occasions for any player but they're even better when you make a game of it.

Early on all Gretna's best performers were all at the back - Derek Townsley and Chris Innes competed well with Roman Bednar and Edgaras Jankauskas while Alan Main looked on top of his game.

Gretna gave the impression the occasion was too much for them and they undoubtedly found it difficult to get going.

Winning teams need players good enough to express themselves under pressure and in the first half Gretna didn't have anything in the last third.

Up front no one can argue that James Grady and Kenny Deuchar can't score goals but neither is at his best when asked to link the play and Hearts threatened to have the game won long before the end.

It was no more than they deserved when Rudi Skacel scored the opener five minutes before half-time and you wonder what Brooks Mileson made of his team's first-half effort.

In contrast to Hearts' efforts it looked as though Gretna had no legs, no energy, and no running power. But credit to Rowan Alexander, he knew his team needed some sort of lift and they got it 10 minutes after the restart through the introduction of David Graham.

Signed from Stranraer as a part-timer Graham began to take the game to Hearts and what a transformation he made.

He almost got the equaliser after casually rounding Craig Gordon following a wonderful run through the middle but Robbie Neilson got back to make a tremendous last-ditch tackle.

Suddenly Graham was the spark Gretna were looking for. With him in the side they began to get more secure possession up front and looked much more threatening.

In a game that was to finish dramatically on penalties I was pleased to see Ryan McGuffie score the leveller.

There was no doubt in my mind Gretna thoroughly deserved their goal and it looked a clear penalty to me when Deividas Cesnauskas made a rash tackle on Stevie Tosh.

And when some of the Hearts players tried a bit of gamesmanship to put him off McGuffie stood firm. Although Gordon saved his initial shot Ryan followed up to score in a moment he'll never forget.

Chris Innes, who alongside Townsley had a magnificent game, could have got a second when he completely mis-kicked a left-foot volley

One of the biggest talking points of the game was the incident when Takis Fyssas sent Skacel through for a one-on-one with Alan Main.

It looked a clear penalty as Skacel knocked the ball past Main and was almost brought down by the keeper. But given the recent scathing criticism of Skacel's diving antics I thought he tried too hard to stay on his feet.

Had he gone down, surely Dougie McDonald would have had no option but to give a penalty.

There are moments in a game when you look to the ref to make a decision and that was a classic situation to highlight a poor challenge on an attacking player.

McDonald also had the option of waiting a second or two to see if Skacel could put the ball in the net and then give the penalty. In my view he got this one wrong. With regard to Paul Hartley's red card, McDonald had no option but to send off the SPL's most dominant player of the past two years.

Hartley and Takis Fysass were guilty of losing their discipline in the aftermath of the penalty incident and both were booked.

Hartley's kick at Townsley in extra time was stupid and McDonald was right to give him a second yellow. When that decision was made Hearts had suddenly lost their best penalty taker but the quality of all their spot-kicks was flawless.

Typically, Steven Pressley took the responsibility to get them off to the best possible start and his penalty was clinical and ruthless.

Robbie Neilson showed a lot of composure to follow suit and Michel Pospisil and Skacel were equally cold blooded. Every one of them was a belter.

Had Gretna achieved the unthinkable Townsley would have been a strong candidate for Man of the Match. His only mistake all day was a poor attempt from 12 yards but it proved so costly.

Hearts suddenly had the scent of victory and Gavin Skelton's miss meant the cup was heading to Tynecastle.

It's been an extraordinary campaign for Hearts and I thoroughly enjoyed the end of season showpiece.

I must say though that I felt for Andy Webster.

Here's a guy who has played a big part in Hearts' recent success but because of a breakdown in contract negotiations he was denied the chance of a career highlight.

His was just one story in the endless drama that typifies Hearts' owner.

Vladimir Romanov looked delirious with joy at Hampden but you can guarantee next week won't pass without yet another drama coming out of Tynecastle.

Taken from the Sunday Mail