IN THE week it emerged Hearts are splashing out £10million a year on wages the poverty of this display was bitterly ironic.

Super sub Michal Pospisil snatched the points with 10 minutes left from an Inverness sidewho had hardly been firing on all cylinders but still blew three good chances to bury the Jambos.

However, the win that keeps the Tynecastle men in the hunt for a Champions League slot doesn't begin to tell how lacking in quality they were - and how much they miss Paul Hartley.

Sure, the Scotland midfielder's replacement Laryea Kingston looked the best of a bad bunch on his home debut.

But Jambos fans must be alarmed at the lack of creativity since Hartley was flogged to Celtic two weeks ago.

And the alarm bells were ringing for the home support from the first minute as shot-shy Inverness passed up a golden chance.

A long throw spun off Christophe Berra and bounced towards Graham Bayne in the heart of the area only for his awkward shot to be beaten away by Steve Banks.

It was a vital stop by the man who has done well since his breakthrough into the first team, regardless of the controversial circumstances that have paved the way for the keeper's big chance.

Otherwise this was a flat first half frustratingly short on clear-cut chances despite the threat ofHearts pair Kingston and Calum Elliot who looked bright driving forward from midfield.

Takis Fyssas saw an ambitious effort with the outside of his foot fly too high to trouble Michael Fraser but the visiting keeper was forced to block with his legs when Andrew Driver let rip from 25 yards.

But beyond that this was uninspiring stuff and it would have been a travesty if Hearts' desperate claims for a penalty on the half hour - when Fyssas ran into Darren Dods in the box - had been granted by referee Eddie Smith.

Ross Tokely then made a vital clearance to stop a low Elliot cross reaching Edgaras Jankauskas prowling the goalmouth. However, Banks was the busier keeper and had to throw himself to claw away a surprise long-ranger by Barry Wilson destined for his bottom right corner.

The Jambos then had another huge let-off as John Rankin just failed to get the right connection as he lunged at a Wilson cross at the back post.Roy McBain copped the first booking for a shove on Kingston on the stroke of half-time but almost redeemed himself just after the restart as he unleashed a crisp volley which was well held by Banks.

Hearts were coming forward withmore purpose now but still couldn't muster a decent threat so it was no surprise when Jankauskas' anonymous display was brought to an early end.

Roman Bednar took over and the Czech hitman almost made an instant impact as a neat through ball from Kingston sent him bounding into the box though, always stretching for it, he couldn't find the power to beat Fraser.

Caley boss Charlie Christie heeded the warning and made his own change, Alan Morgan for Rankin, before Inverness came agonisingly close to grabbing the opener.

Richard Hastings' cross picked out Rory McAllister in the box who saw his header scrape the bar on its way over.

It was another massive scare for the Jambos and the reaction from boss Valdas Ivanauskas was baffling as he pushed playmaker Kingston out on the right wing to accommodate sub Eggert Jonsson just as Julien Brellier was seeing yellow for felling Wilson.

But Ivanauskas' next change proved the match-winner as Pospisil was pitched into the action with 10 minutes left to replace another anonymous striker, Arkadiusz Klimek.

The pay-off was almost immediate as the static Caley defence failed to cut out Driver's raking cross and Pospisil rose above both Hastings and Grant Munro at the back post to head home a winner Hearts didn't really deserve.

Raging Christie hit out at his players after the game and accused them of regressing to the standards of SPL rookies.

He said: "We can play better than that and we looked like the Inverness of our first season in the SPL. We were content to lump it forward when we should be beyond that now.

"The game looked as though it was petering out to a 0-0. It was a disappointing match, very physical and there wasn't a lot of football played by either side.

"Our midfield didn't string two passes together and Hearts played with two big guys up front looking for the second ball all the time.

"The goal was a ball into the box and we were outmuscled - I was disappointed with our defending. That was the worst we have played this year."

Taken from the Sunday Mail