HEARTS HITTING TOP FORM - HARTLEY

By Gavin McCafferty, PA Sport

Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley claims he and his team-mates are starting to hit top gear after they thrashed Dundee United 4-0 in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The position of head coach Valdas Ivanauskas had looked insecure just weeks ago after an early exit from the Champions League and defeats by Rangers, St Mirren and Sparta Prague.

But despite going out of the UEFA Cup on Thursday the Tynecastle side at least emerged with credit from a 0-0 draw in Prague and racked up their third league win on the trot against United.

And the victory - with a starting line-up showing six changes from the team that drew in the Czech Republic - keeps Hearts in second place, three points behind champions Celtic.

Hartley said: "We're going well just now. We looked like we would score and we created lots of chances.

"We're really starting to get the bit between our teeth. That's 12 goals in the last five games."

The changes may have come back to haunt Ivanauskas if United had taken one of their chances as they dominated the opening half hour.

Craig Gordon saved superbly from Noel Hunt, Stuart Duff headed against the crossbar and Hunt then saw a goal ruled out for offside.

But three recalled players making rare starts punished them when Andrius Velicka's shot spun off Alan Archibald into the net and record signing Mirsad Beslija set up Juho Makela for the second.

Hearts were comfortable after that and Hartley's penalty and Jamie Mole's close-range finish boosted their goal difference in the closing stages.

Hartley said: "The first 20 minutes we were a bit sluggish but we always felt we could score.

"We got the vital goal at the right time and the second half we always looked like we would score more.

"I'm really pleased for Mirsad because he's had a really hard time. He's not played an awful lot but he looked like an £850,000 player.

"He's not had a chance to play and he was fantastic. I'll say one thing about him, he always comes in with a smile on his face every morning.

"Hopefully he can stay in the team with performances like that."

The former Hibernian star was also pleased for Velicka and Makela, who scored a hat-trick against Alloa in his only other start since signing in January.

"They felt themselves they've not had a chance," he said.

"When you come into the team you have to take it. It's a fantastic delivery from Mirsad and a great finish from Juho.

"We've got a lot of options up front just now. We've still got (Edgaras) Jankauskas and (Michal) Pospisil to come back but the two guys did their bit."

Hartley's first goal of the season made it 15 spot-kicks out of 15 in a Hearts jersey.

"I've not missed one - not even in training," he joked.

"I'm always confident of taking penalties and it's nice to get off the mark, and hopefully that's me up and running now."

Hartley, who missed the first six matches of the campaign with a groin problem, continued: "I've been injured and it always takes time. That's the thing I needed - to get off the mark.

"The more games I've played, the fitter I've become and the more of a threat I am coming into the box."

United player-manager Craig Brewster was bemused at the eventual scoreline after their "excellent" first 30 minutes.

But he knows United have to start taking their chances - they have scored just once in their last five games.

The 39-year-old striker, an unused substitute at Tynecastle, said: "Our performance was good but Hearts were ruthless and we weren't.

"That's what happens when you don't put the ball in the net."

Taken from sportinglife.com