BRUISE NOT UP FOR IT?

DUNFERMLINE 1

HEARTS 2

IF Hearts can keep up this level of resilience, they may just give the Old Firm another run for their money.

Reports of the demise of this Jambos side - after Rudi Skacel signed for Southampton in a £1.6million deal prior to kick-off - appear to have been greatly exaggerated.

Valdas Ivanauskas' men had as bruising a start to the SPL season at East End Park against Dunf ermline as it was possible to get.

It was real blood and thunder material which saw three goals, Dunfermline's Andy Tod sent off for a foul on Julien Brellier, Pars No.2 Craig Robertson banished to the stands and the introduction to Scottish football of the giant Souleymane Bamba.

It was also peppered by some inconsistent refereeing from Brian Winter, who incensed both sets of supporters by making a series of bizarre decisions.

Hearts eventually won a pulsating opening-day encounter which offered value for money.

It may have been ugly, in fact at times it was pretty damn ugly, but Roman Bednar's 15th-minute opener and Michal Pospisil's 76th-minute strike sandwiched between Stephen Simmons' leveller for the Pars after Hearts wobbled for a bit and were there for the taking.

The Old Firm had better watch out as this Hearts team certainly knows how to win a match.

On Wednesday night at Murrayfield in the Champions League, they left it late. However, three second-half goals turned apotentially-hazardous trip to face NK Siroki Brijeg in Bosnia into one foot into the Champions League third qualifying round and a potential tie against Greek cracks AEK Athens.

That's assuming, of course, they don't blow a three-goal lead.

Hearts left it late again at East End Park on Saturday and, just as it looked like they were on the verge of spilling two vital SPL points on the opening day against plucky Pars, they dug deep and somehow ground out a victory.

Sound familiar, eh? It's been the mantra of the Old Firm for the past 21 years and that's why the SPL championship trophy has not resided outside Glasgow since Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen team triumphed in 1984-85.

Is this finally the year Hearts go one better than last season's runners-up spot and prove the challenge from the east last campaign was no one-season wonder?

Can the upstarts from along the M8 sustain both an SPL title challenge and a European campaign?

Hearts' role model of consistency, Robbie Neilson, has cause for great optimism, especially after developing a mean resilient streak just like the Old Firm.

And he admits that he is getting a taste of what the Old Firm have experienced for years after enjoying the highs of the Champions League followed by the bread and butter of the SPL.

Neilson said: "It is difficult juggling the SPL with Europe but we are putting in the hard work and getting the rewards of playing football at the highest level.

"It is a good feeling to play Saturday -Wednesday.

"Rangers and Celtic have had to cope with this kind of thing for years and they have managed to do it successfully.

"It is difficult to play in such a big European game and come down and play in the SPL.

"It is hard to keep yourself going and keep your team-mates going.

"We have to make sure we are highly motivated to win every game as it was finishing second in the SPL that got us a crack at the Champions League.

"Every game is important as the next and it is a mental thing keeping yourself motivated for them all.

"The first game of the season is always important and it is not about performance it is just about getting a victory.

"Hearts ground it out and I think you will find that we will have to do that at a lot of away grounds this season.

"Just like the Old Firm, we will now be seen as a big scalp. Last season we caught some teams cold and that's why we managed to go 12 games unbeaten.

"Now teams know what to expect from us and they are gearing up for us.

"I think a few SPL teams will try to match Hearts' physical presence as that was one of our major strengths last season and a big part of our success.

"Teams coming to Tynecastle will probably shut up shop against us. Our fans will be expecting us to be 3-0 up after half an hour but that is just not going to happen.

"We had to be patient again as we lost a goal and the heads could have gone down and Dunfermline could have put us under a lot of pressure.

"But we managed to hold our own and then go on and win it. I think that kind of resilience will be important at home and abroad."

Hearts are entering an important 10-day stretch with the second leg against Siroki and then Celtic at Tynecastle and possibly AEK Athens.

Neilson added: "We would rather be competing in those big matches than playing Saturday- Saturday in the SPL.

"We have not even thought about AEK Athens as we have a trip to Bosnia first and then we face Celtic.

"AEK is a good draw for us as we could have pulled a lot harder teams and hopefully they will under-estimate us.

"We are confident we can get a result against Athens and get through the tie into the Champions League group stages."

Misplaced bravado? No way.

Fighting talk if ever you heard it and this Jambos' mob are right up for a scrap.

MAN OF THE MATCH Michal Pospisil (Hearts)

MATCH STATS

POSSESSION 48% 52%

SHOTS ON TARGET 3 5

SHOTS OFF TARGET 5 5

CORNERS 9 4

FOULS CONCEDED 24 14

OFFSID 2 0

DUNFERMLINE

MAN BY MAN

Roddy McKenzie: Pulled off a couple of good stops but looked culpable at first goal 6

Scott Wilson: Found Roman Bednar a real handful but stuck manfully to the task 6

Greg Shields: Best defender on day and put in some telling tackles 7

Souleymane Bamba: New Bobo Balde. A real character and just as rash in tackle 7

Calum Woods: Found it difficult to pin Neil McCann down and get much time on ball 5

Stephen Simmons: Deserved better for work-rate. Dragged side back with equaliser 7

Phil McGuire: Solid and effective. Kept it neat and tidy in a decent game 6

Gary Mason: Enjoyed a battle with Julien Brellier but maybe just lost out to Frenchman 6

Scott Muirhead: Whips in a good delivery from the flank but had to be content with a more defensive role 6

Freddie Dacquin: Blew great chance to put Pars 2-1 up when clean through 6

Noel Whelan: Lasted just five minutes after landing awkwardly 1

Subs: Andy Tod - On early for Whelan and stupid booking for needlessly barging into Craig Gordon. Foul on Julien Brellier invited referee to send him off, 4. Scott Morrison -Last 10 minutes as Pars chased equaliser, 2. Mark Burchill - Clearly not yet fit, 3.

HEARTS

MAN BY MAN

Craig Gordon: Rarely troubled but caught out by bounce for Simmons' goal 6

Robbie Neilson: Solid and reliable, the defender always gives a great shift 7

Steven Pressley: Put himself about against Dacquin 7

Christophe Berra: Outstanding. Seems to mature with every peformance 8

Takis Fyssas: Steady performer without being spectacular Some neat touches 6

Saulius Mikoliunas: Liability who spends too much time inviting fouls instead of taking men on when he has ball 5

Julien Brellier: Protected back-line but lucky not to be sent off for persistent fouling 7 Bruno Aguiar: Intelligent player who never wastes possession 7

Neil McCann: Crashed a shot against bar and fitness improving every game 6

Roman Bednar: Linked well with Pospisil and scored crucial opening goal 7

Michal Pospisil: Arguably best game for Hearts and rewarded by netting winner 8

Subs: Deividas Cesnauskis - Given a 20 minute outing, 4. Ibrahim Tall - Must have been disappointed to make way for Brellier after European exploits. Replaced Frenchman for last four minutes, 2.

MOMENT THAT CHANGED THE GAME:

Pospisil's winner that ensured all three points were heading back to Tynecastle.

Taken from the Daily Record