Timely lift for Finn-tastic Jambos

EMPHATIC results like this can often have a galvanising effect on a team in crisis. If indeed that is what Hearts are currently embroiled in.

The opponents can be of inferior standard to normal, but the confidence brought by attaining a position of dominance for much of the evening and effecting a considerable scoring margin can be a decisive factor in restoring conviction within players.

Valdas Ivanauskas watched his team dismantle a capable Alloa side last night on their way to the fourth round of the CIS Insurance Cup, but more pertinent to the Lithuanian will have been the manner of his side's victory as he seeks to rebuild confidence.

Hearts, at stages, seemed to have returned themselves to the flowing, overwhelming football that served them so well last season. Ironically, they did so with only a handful of central characters from last year on the pitch as Ivanauskas utilised his expansive squad whilst also showcasing his club's youth.

Household names like Gordon, Pressley, Hartley and Brellier were left in the stand as three debutants made their first impressions on the top team. Lithuanian Kestutis Ivaskevicius started in central midfield, and later youth academy products Eggert Jonsson and Alan Lithgow would join him as second-half substitutes.

Of those selected, no-one derived more of an emotional pick-up from their outing than Juho Makela. For months it has pretty much been a case of "Juho who?" around Riccarton with the Finnish striker toiling to impose himself upon the Hearts first team. But, as the Alloa defence discovered, inside this unknown quantity of a man lies a predatory striker screaming to get out.

One header, one right-footed finish and one left-footed strike completed, to all intents and purposes, the perfect hat-trick for Makela. By the time Bruno Aguiar, was expertly clipping the ball over Allan Creer in the Alloa goal from 25 yards for the fourth goal, the feel-good factor was ubiquitous amongst the visiting players and coaching staff.

The task now is to ensure it carries over to Pittodrie on Sunday.

"It was important to win this game because of our situation, not just surrounding this game but the whole situation at the club," noted Ivanauskas. "It was a good result, four goals is very positive and we had a lot of chances. Now this game is forgotten, and it's Sunday, Sunday, Sunday."

Makela arrived in the humbleness of a rain-sodden Recreation Park in the knowledge that he had just one competitive Hearts goal to his name since transferring from HJK Helsinki for £500,000 in January. Nonetheless, leaving Clackmannanshire with the match ball and a bottle of champagne from his first start permits him no guarantee of a shirt against Aberdeen.

The restoration of confidence to both Makela and his team-mates was last night's primary objective, however, alongside avoiding an embarrassing cup upset against Allan Maitland and his Second Division part-timers. Those aims were achieved after a 15-minute kick-off delay to allow Hearts supporters time to travel over a gridlocked Kincardine Bridge.

Ivaskevicius enjoyed a quiet first half, the 21-year-old's name posing more problems to Alloa's stadium announcer than home defenders Steven McKeown and Fraser Forrest. "Number six: Kest...Ketuti...Ivaskuvis..." stammered the PA system before kick-off. After the interval he looked a far more accomplished player when moved from central midfield to a wide-right role.

On the other flank, Hearts benefited from an outstanding display from the much-maligned Neil McCann. Cross after cross was dispatched into the Alloa penalty area in the first half, doubtless frightening both Maitland and Creer half to death. It was only the understandable ring-rustiness of Makela in the early stages that spared the hosts.

Hearts' sprightly beginning had Alloa pinned back inside their own half for long periods, and after deploying a 4-1-4-1 formation, Maitland was never likely to veer far from his policy of containment. As the hosts betrayed their contentment to play counter-attacking football with Graeme Brown a sole striker, the visitors busied themselves trying to formulate a route to goal.

Initial short-passing moves were abandoned, however, in the build-up to the opening goal. Makela's movement had been taxing the Alloa back line and, despite his touch appearing rusty, the forward seemed to be working on the premise that continual penalty-area prowling would eventually result in an unmissable chance. And so it came to pass.

In the 34th minute, Takis Fyssas utilised space on the left created by McCann's run wide to sling a pinpoint cross on to the head of the Finn. Unmarked, he nestled his header in the back of the net. The opportunity granted Makela by Ivanauskas had to be grasped if his career in Edinburgh was to avoid further stagnation - a point not lost on the player.

Former Hearts player Robert Sloan was proving occasionally troublesome and had a shot from distance saved by Steve Banks in the Hearts goal and, just prior to half-time, Christos Karipidis went down clutching his left knee after a challenge with Brian McColligan. He had to be withdrawn, as was Mirsad Beslija during the interval after taking a heavy blow to his jaw.

The Bosnian's replacement, young Icelandic midfielder Eggert Jonsson, brought an assurance to the midfield that was surprising for one so young, offering timely tackling and wise use of the ball from the central area.

Just 52 seconds after the restart, Makela struck again. The Finn made use of some left-flank produce in sprinting on to McCann's perfectly-weighted through ball, which split the centre of the Alloa defence, to slot it under Creer with his right foot. McCann could have had the goal his display deserved moments later but for the blocking thigh of McKeown as he executed a square ball from Roman Bednar, but at 2-0 only an unmitigated disaster would have prevented Hearts' progress to the fourth round.

There was an unsavoury moment 11 minutes from time when former Tynecastle schoolboy signing, and holder of a few Hearts shares, Chris Townsley, was dismissed for two bookable offences. He had cynically tripped Hearts substitute Andrius Velicka on 70 minutes and walked soon after for a foul on McCann. Then Alloa almost ensured the proverbial grandstand finish when they came within millimetres of pulling a goal back. Ross Hamilton rose to meet a deep cross at the back post and aimed his header over Banks. With the goalkeeper stranded, it was down to Lithgow to do the necessary and head the ball off the line to prevent a certain goal.

When Velicka's flick was misjudged by John Ovenstone, Makela once again capitalised to eliminate all doubt regarding the outcome. This time his left foot rounded off a rather scrappy goal after Creer had repelled his initial attempt. Aguiar, pictured left, strode forward to arrogantly chip the fourth from well outside the box, and by then the word swashbuckling was springing to mind with regards to the visitors' performance.

Okay, it was only Alloa. But confidence is a premium commodity in football and should be garnered whenever and wherever possible.

Taken from the Scotsman