NOVOCAINE

HEARTS 0

RANGERS 1

IF this was a battle to decide the best of the rest, Scottish football may be in bigger trouble than we realised.

So poor was the fare at Tynecastle the thought occurred it might be time to ask UEFA to cut our quota of Champions League places to just the one.

Not that Rangers will be overly bothered as they celebrate two league wins in a row for the first time under Paul Le Guen. They desperately needed this victory and Nacho Novo's late winner might give their season a shot in the arm.

No, Rangers won't give a damn that this was a contest desperately lacking in quality because they relied on other more basic qualities to get the job done.

It was their determination not to lose that allowed them to overcome a rival that seems hell-bent on self destruction.

This Hearts side is a shadow of the one that finished second in the SPL last term. Because of the interference of owner Vladimir Romanov, this is a team without guile, leadership or even a proper structure.

And yesterday, also for a second successive game, they played without a captain with Steven Pressley relegated to the bench.

It was just another vicious slap across his bearded chops. After the disgraceful attempt to strip him not only of his armband but also his dignity, this time Pressley was subjected to another kind of humiliation.

For the first time in eight years at the club, he was named among the substitutes, for no other reason than the sheer badness of the Romanov camp who found the fans turning against them in great numbers.

One supporter hurled a scarf on to the track before the end and, immediately after the match, a couple of hundred gathered outside the front door to demand Pressley's reinstatement. They also called for Romanov's removal which suggests the real trauma may yet be to come for a club that has lurched from one crisis to another over the last 18 months or so.

And no wonder they revolted after the decision to leave Pressley out of such a significant match. Hearts are slipping out of the running at the top of the table because of Romanov's bloody-mindedness.

It must have gnawed at Pressley's very soul to have to join the fringe men before kick-off as the first 11 broke off from the group to go about their final preparations. But, being the professional he is, Pressley did so without any sign of petulance or obvious discontent.

The same could not be said of some of the Rangers extras whose pre-match routine was so shoddy and lacklustre they stopped some way short of going through the motions. It was a fascinating contrast. The can't be picked against the can't be bothered.

On the first blast of ref Dougie McDonald's whistle, the home support united to belt out Pressley's name.

And they were quickly reminded of what was missing from the core of their backline when Pressley's stand-in Ibrahim Tall barrelled clumsily into the back of Dado Prso to concede a free-kick in dangerous territory after only three minutes. It was a stupid foul and one that really ought to have led to Rangers storming into an early lead through a well-worked set-piece that saw Prso nod a floated Charlie Adam cross into the thick of the six yardbox.

All it required was an accurate finishing touchbut Alan Hutton steamed in to thud it over the bar with his forehead from five yards. Hearts went close to going ahead themselves soon afterwards when Andrius Velicka's dipping volley slipped just wide.

Hutton was booked for a late foul on Julien Brellier as the game became increasingly bogged down in midfield.

Barry Ferguson emerged from the mediocrity of it all in 17 minutes to pull together the best move of the half, working a couple of one-twos before slipping a pass into the path of Novo whose shot was beaten out by Craig Gordon.

But it was a fleeting flash of inspiration and it was not long before these sides were dulling the senses again with their dross.

It was painful viewing and the Rangers support added to the sense of embarrassment by spewing out some of their paramilitary guff as the contest limped towards the break.

And yet, even though the football was almost as crude, Rangers managed to create and squander three good chances as the clock ticked down. First, Novo only just failed to connect with Prso's tantalising cross with the goal at his mercy.

Then Prso headed over the top from a Ferguson corner. And the Croat blew the best opportunity of the lot when, after Novo's fine set-up work, he slid in to nudge the ball wide from six yards.

Prso's determination and drive remain evident but the sad truth is his engine blew a gasket some time ago so that he arrives in the right place but just a fraction too late to make it count.

Hearts brought on Jose Goncalves for Lee Wallace at the break and just seconds after the re-start Velicka powered through to force a fine save from Allan McGregor.

Prso set up Ferguson at the other end and his shot was superbly saved by Gordon. At last, this game was in danger of holding the attention. But when Novo was booked for needlessly kicking out at Marius Zaliukas, a couple of Rangers fans lowered the tone by hurling coins towards keeper Gordon.

Rangers continued to look the more likely winners and Prso carved out another chance shortly after the hour when he hooked the ball over his head and across the danger area for Kris Boyd. The striker really ought to have picked his spot but blasted straight at Gordon.

Paul Hartley was booked soon afterwards for mouthing off at a linesman while Novo risked seeing red when he barged into Brellier's back just yards from the referee. McDonald looked the other way to the disbelief of the Hearts supporters who would have reason to to curse the little Spaniard all over again as he smacked home the winning goal.

He picked up a Ferguson pass just inside the Hearts half and surged forward at pace. As the home defence backed off Novo unloaded with a right-foot shot from 25 yards that smacked off Christophe Berra as it crashed its way towards the back of the net.

The Rangers fans behind the goal could not contain their delight for such moments of euphoria have been in scarce supply of late.

Boyd also had his name taken before the end but nothing could take the shine of a victory that sees their side reclaim pole position in the race for second best.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Barry Ferguson (Rangers)

Taken from the Daily Record