Hearts' Euro charge hits the skids

By BARRY ANDERSON
Kilmarnock 1- 0 Hearts
IF STEVEN NAISMITH is indeed being primed for a transfer to Hearts this summer, he might find it advisable to pray for Craig Gordon's departure first.

The forward had the visiting captain so enraged by the end of yesterday's match at Rugby Park that he required restraining by colleagues as his side's hopes of European football died.

Naismith's late penalty, awarded when referee William Collum judged that he was impeded by Gordon's lunge, rubbed salt into Hearts wounds that were already tender due to Aberdeen's victory over Rangers. The UEFA Cup will visit Pittodrie and not Tynecastle next season, but Gordon was still fiercely contesting the validity of Kilmarnock's spot-kick a full 15 minutes after Naismith had converted it.

His vehement protests made it clear he felt there had been no contact with the striker in the 82nd-minute incident which brought the award. Collum had little hesitation in pointing to the spot, but upon viewing television replays he may wish for the opportunity to rewind the clock. Gordon, the subject of pre-match speculation about a supposed £8million bid from Manchester United, was apoplectic at the time as he waved his finger in Naismith's face before the striker produced a composed finish.

By full-time the goalkeeper was no less incensed and evaded the grip of both his deputy Steve Banks and coach Jim Stewart to remonstrate with officials and then scream obscenities in the direction of the home players.

In between, he made an emotional gesture to the 5000 travelling supporters, hurling his gloves and skipper's armband into the crowd.

This was probably more a precautionary measure in case club owner Vladimir Romanov facilitates his transfer over the coming weeks.

It all made for an ending that was considerably more eventful than the match itself. Hearts had produced plenty huffing and puffing during the 90 minutes but little of substance that would blow Kilmarnock's house down. The visitors enjoyed fine service from midfielder Larry Kingston, an injury doubt throughout last week, but a precession of high balls ensured quality football was at a premium.

Jim Jefferies' workmanlike side lacked nothing in effort, however their only hope of penetrating Hearts was always Naismith. In the end, his penalty killed the UEFA Cup hopes of a team he is rumoured to be joining next season.

"I was running through and I saw Craig Gordon coming out. I just got there first and he's bundled into me," said the 20-year-old. "I'm not going to say it was a definite penalty or it wasn't a penalty, it was the ref's decision and he gave it.

"Once it was given, there was certainly nobody else taking it except me."

Hearts' feelings of injustice over the penalty were evermore prominent for the part played in the lead-up move by Kilmarnock's Momo Sylla.

It was his pass which ricocheted off Ibrahim Tall to land in Naismith's pass and lead the forward to his penalty-box confrontation with Gordon. But Sylla, in truth, should not have been on the pitch at that point.

He was cautioned in the 13th minute for ungentlemanly conduct in an altercation with Saulius Mikoliunas, but referee Collum seemed determined that the Guinean midfielder would see out the 90 minutes. Had the law been applied to its letter in the 70th minute, then Sylla would have been issued a second yellow card for kicking the ball away after fouling Kingston. When he fouled Mikoliunas minutes later he seemed a cert to walk, but again Collum refused to enter his pocket.

Whether Naismith is a new recruit around Gorgie next season is open to conjecture for the moment, but right now his face is the last Gordon would wish to see. Referring to the penalty incident, Hearts assistant coach Stephen Frail said: "I haven't seen it but Craig said there wasn't a lot in it. Ultimately, we never won a game we had to win. It's bitterly disappointing. When we started this quest for second and then third place we maybe had too much to do. I know we got the gap back to a point but maybe the damage was done throughout the season. I think we just ran out of legs.

"Our fans came here hoping to see us finish third in the league, and you'd think we'd done that with the reception they gave the players at the end.

"To come from where we were when we identified the problems to where we are now, I think the players deserve immense credit and I'm proud of them. I think you'd need to ask Mr Romanov if having no European football next year changes his budget in terms of who might come in. We can only carry on and work with the players we have. Hopefully we will bring in some players to enhance the squad but we need to wait and see.

"Now it's a case of taking stock, licking our wounds and carrying on next season. There's no European football, so we make sure everybody is fresh and ready for the start of the new season. People think going for the title is silly because of the dominance of Celtic and Rangers, but we need to try and make sure we sustain a challenge like we did last year. Hopefully all our good players will want to stay, like Larry and Craig."

The enthusiasm of the away support in the Chadwick Stand was betrayed at high volume, but by the midway point of the first half a notable air of inevitability enveloped Rugby Park. By then, of
course, former Hearts midfielder Scott Severin had given Aberdeen the lead some 200 miles away. "I don't know if the players were aware of it but we knew what was happening," continued Frail.

"Maybe they did realise the situation up at Pittodrie. I thought in the first half they were really up for it but the game petered out for us, to be honest. It's not like we could send somebody up there to score a goal for us, we just had to concentrate on what we were doing.

"Fair play to Aberdeen. I know the two Jimmys well and good luck to them. Congratulations to them on getting the third spot."

For Frail and Hearts, a commendable effort has been in vain. They will now regroup after the most exhausting of seasons for a tilt at the SPL title next year. And if Gordon and Naismith are to have any chance of participating together in that assault, there will be some making up to do first.

Taken from the Scotsman