HEARTS head coach Valdas Ivanauskas was angry that his striker Mauricio Pinilla was needlessly sent off in yesterday's victory at Aberdeen for a second yellow card after throwing the ball away, but expressed some sympathy with Pinilla, whose first booking had been for the way in which he celebrated his goal.

"I'm angry with the second yellow for Mauricio," Ivanauskas said. "But he does not know why he was booked after his goal. The referee did very well today, but maybe needed some more cleverness about the celebrations.

"Mauricio misses the next game now, and he is a very big player for us, a very special footballer. But we have a very strong team and can make rotations."

While goalkeeper Craig Gordon did play the major role in keeping Hearts in contention, some defiant defending was also a contributory factor, particularly when it came to blocking Aberdeen shots on goal.

After the break, though - or at least after the opening goal from the centre-back Christophe Berra - it was the midfield and attack which made the difference with an incisive 20-minute spell, and Ivanauskas was rightly delighted by the way in which his team fought back.

"The first half was big pressure for us, but we stayed calm and waited for our chance," said the coach, who has had a lot of practice in staying calm under big pressure recently.

"For me teamwork was very important. Today was a teamwork win. But our big plus was our passing game.

"You know how difficult it is to play here. Today was six points, because it is not just Rangers or Celtic playing for the title, it's Aberdeen and Kilmarnock as well."

Over the piece this season, this performance by Hearts was perhaps only rivalled by their home win over Celtic.

With a 2-0 deficit to claw back in the UEFA Cup against Sparta Prague on Thursday, they could not have asked for a better time in which to rediscover their form, although they know they will be up against it in the Czech capital.

"The last three games have been good results for us, but it will be a different game on Thursday," midfielder Paul Hartley said. "We know it's going to be hard, but if we can get an early goal, you never know."

Having taken 64 minutes to get their first goal yesterday, though, Hearts will feel able not to rush things too much against Sparta.

Taken from the Scotsman