Mole in camp gives Valdas Hearts attack

Hearts - Pinilla 20, Mole 42, Driver 80, Aguiar 90
Inverness - Bayne 31

IT HAS been a massive week for Heart of Midlothian. Last Saturday they went to Ibrox and lost 2-0, on Wednesday night they played AEK at the Olympic Stadium in Athens where their Champions League adventure ended in a 3-0 defeat with Julien Brellier and Neil McCann suffering the indignity of being sent off.

Yesterday it was back to the business of the SPL and Hearts did not let their fans down, although Inverness caused them some anxious moments before some new kids on the block wrapped up the points.

Valdas Ivanauskas, who declined to confirm or deny that Brellier, who was initially yellow carded for wearing an ear-ring, had been axed following his European dismissal, was pleased enough with the outcome and said: "I am happy with the result after such a hard week, losing to Rangers and then to AEK Athens. We have had problems with injuries and today was an important game for the future."

While Robbie Neilson was suspended, there was still no place for Brellier and Ivanauskas would only say: "The other players were either injured or rested."

Not for the first time this season, the Hearts fans had plenty to ponder as Ivanauskas named a squad with a whole series of changes from midweek.

There were debuts for Lithuanian midfielder Marius Zaliukas and Portuguese defender Tiago as well as first Tynecastle starts for Chilean striker Mauricio Pinilla, defender Christo Karipidis and 18-year-old Jamie Mole who did well in Athens and yesterday celebrated his first goal for the club.

Even in the early stages this was already shaping into an interesting contest and a glancing header from Mole, following McCann's cross, looked a winner all the way. Mark Brown had different ideas, pushing it past the post.

Lee Wallace, drafted into the left-back slot which meant Greek defender Takis Fyssas had to settle for a place on the bench, underlined his appetite for the game when he stepped up with a free-kick 30 yards out. Brown was again up to the task.

But in the 19th minute, Hearts finally got the breakthrough they were looking for, McCann's cross from the left finding the boot of Pinilla who first-timed the ball into the corner of the net.

On the half-hour mark, Inverness drew level. Barry Wilson was the architect, delivering a cross from the right and, with the Hearts defence sleeping, Graham Bayne pounced with a header which flew into the net.

Hearts, however, are no strangers to adversity and they showed their steel by regaining the advantage three minutes before the interval. Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley, always a threat at set-pieces which incidentally the Inverness defence were clearly not relishing, fired over a free-kick and Mole got up magnificently to send his powerful header high into the roof of the net. It was

a different story for Dennis Wyness who had to go off with a dislocated shoulder and was replaced by Rory McAllister.

Four minutes after the break, Bayne missed a real opportunity to make it 2-2 when he found himself in the clear but then proceeded to make a hash of things by bundling the ball wide of the target.

Inverness defender John Rankin tried to make amends after Inverness were awarded a free-kick 16 yards out but there was only more frustration as his left-foot drive curled around the post.

A stunning first-time volley from McCann smacked off the bar with Brown well beaten on this occasion but still Hearts could not find that all-important third goal.

With the minutes ticking away, Wilson could only hang his head in dismay after failing to get a touch at point-blank range to Ross Tokely's cross and Hearts punished the visitors further thanks to a glorious volley from sub Andrew Driver who had only been on the field for a few minutes after replacing McCann.

Bruno Aguiar, who also came off the bench, made it 4-1 with a simple tap-in in the final minute.

Not surprisingly, Inverness coach Charlie Christie was left perplexed by the final scoreline. He said: "The newspapers and history books will show we just got beat at Tynecastle 4-1. It sounds like a doing but it was the absolute opposite.

"This is as well as we've played here since we beat Hearts 3-1 in the Scottish Cup. In saying that, we did not take the opportunities which came our way. It was a huge blow because we put so much in to the game."

The other debut boy, Driver, 18, could barely keep the smile off his face after his first goal for the club and admitted: "I was delighted to get on the park never mind score. It was a good afternoon.

"If I had time to think about my shot I think it could have ended in row Z. I just hit it."

Taken from the Scotsman