DUNFERMLINE 0-1 HEARTS

MICHAL POSPISIL will be hoping he can continue the rest of the year the way he began it.

The Czech striker ended an 11-game goal drought by firing in the winner to take Hearts to within two points of a Champions League place in the SPL.

Pospisil struck in the 15th minute to ensure the Jamb os wrapped up their festive programme with the best record of the four teams at the top of the table. They have taken 10 points out of a possible 12.

But dismal Dunfermline's paltry haul of only one point from four games has pushed them near relegation and new boss Stephen Kenny has now seen his side fail to score in each of their last five matches.

As for the numbers game, Jambos boss Valdas Ivanauskas obviously knows Scots like to herald in the new year by getting together for a party.

Why else would the Lithuanian boss go to first foot the Pars with seven Scottish players in his team?

The Tynecastle side's performance wasn't as free-flowing as Ivanauskas would have liked and they should have won by more than one goal.

But Scotland striker Paul Hartley twice wasted one-on-one opportunities against home goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie.

The first half-chance fell to Dunfermline's Souleymane Bamba who was well off target from outside the penalty area in the fifth minute.

The Pars were the brighter side early on and again Bamba had a chance when he pounced on Christophe Berra's mistake and tested Scotland keeper Craig Gordon.

Darren Young became the first player booked for fouling Saulius Mikoliunas.

Stevie Crawford failed to take advantage of another chance as Dunfermline again went in search of an early goal.

But Pospisil scored what proved to be the winner after quarter of an hour.

He was unmarked at the far post as Bruno Aguiar swung over a corner from the left and squeezed the ball in between the post and defender standing on the line.

Hearts threatened again through two more Aguiar corners as Dunfermline battled to cope with the increasingly threatening attacks.

The number of Scots in Hearts' line-up was reduced in 31 minutes as full-back Lee Wallace went off injured, to be replaced by Greek defender Panagiotis Fyssas.

But with Gordon, Robbie Neilson, Berra, Paul Hartley, Andrew Driver and Calum Elliot - restored after a loan spell with Motherwell - home-grown talent remained in the majority.

Dunfermline's inability to defend set-pieces with any confidence almost cost them in the 39th minute but Young and Gary Mason combined to see off the danger from Aguiar's two centres.

McGuire was forced to block Pospisil's powerful drive from the edge of the box as Hearts stepped up the pressure.

Mikoliunas' through-ball on the break saw Hartley spring the offside trap but he allowed keeper Roddy McKenzie to narrow the angle and block his weak effort.

Pospisil passed up a gilt-edged chance to grab a second in first-half injury time.

Driver played in Fyssas on the overlap and his cross was perfect for the Czech but the header was too close to McKenzie who pulled of a superb reaction save to knock the effort on to the bar and away to safety.

Dunfermline boss Kenny made two substitutions immediately after the break.

He took off full-back Greg Shields and midfielder Mason, replacing them with winger Owen Morrison and striker Jim Hamilton.

As a result, Scott Morrison retreated to left-back and Young switched flanks.

But Hearts continued to press for a second goal, with Scott Wilson forced to hack clear from Pospisil after Elliot's centre.

Marius Zaliukas headed over from Hartley's subsequent corner.

Owen Morrison injected urgency into the home side's play with a mazy run which took him from the halfway line into the heart of the opposition area but Neilson did well to usher him away from goal.

Hartley then failed to get enough power on a shot after the ball ricocheted into his path, before the match burst to life with chances at either end. Elliot glanced a header just over from Neilson's cross in the 53rd minute and then Crawford's low drive was held by Gordon after Hamilton's lay-off on the edge of the box.

Only two minutes later, Morrison again caused problems as he speared his way into the area and cross but Hamilton's effort flew across goal and wide.

The tempo had been lifted by the chances and Crawford was booked for an ill-judged lunge on Berra on the hour mark.

Mikoliunas made way for Nerijus Barasa in the 63rd minute and Young was lucky not to pick up a second yellow card for a body-check on Driver two minutes later.

Hearts had a penalty appeal rejected by referee Craig Thomson in 70 minutes when Hartley cut inside Young and found his path blocked by the Dunfermline defender. Dunfermline should have equalised with 11 minutes to go. Morrison's shot was headed clear but the ball was played back in to Hamilton whose shot was weak and gladly grabbed by a relieved Gordon.

Hearts responded with Driver's 25-yard shot which sailed wide with five minutes left and Neil McCann dragged a drive wide two minutes later.

But it was Hearts who were left hanging on at the death. Greg Ross was only inches away from connecting with Mark Burchill's driven cross and then Simmons had a shot blocked.

MAN OF THE MATCH Michal Pospisil (Hearts)

Dunfermline - McKenzie 7, Shields 6 (Hamilton 46) 4, McGuire 7, Wilson 7, Scott Morrison 6, Bamba 6 (Ross 71) 4, Mason 6 (Owen Morrison 46) 5, Young 7, Simmons 6, Crawford 6, Burchill 6. Subs Not Used: Murdoch, Tod, Woods, Williamson.

Hearts - Gordon 7, Neilson 7 (McCann 81) 3, Zaliukas 6, Berra 7, Wal lace 6 (Fyssas 31) 6, Mikoliunas 7 (Barasa 63) 5, Aguiar 7, Hartley 6, Elliot 6, Pospisil 8, Driver 8. Subs not used: Banks, Bednar, John Armstrong, Karipidis. Referee - C Thomson.

Moment that changed the match: Jim Hamilton had a chance to equalise 10 minutes from time but his weak shot was smothered by Craig Gordon.

Taken from the Daily Record