Hearts overwhelm Rangers in six goal thriller

Driver (13), Tall (26), Stewart (65 pen), Ivaskevicius (69)
RANGERS 2

Cousin (48 pen), Beasley (73)

A VICTORY in retort at the doubters. Rangers' unbeaten league run shuddered to a halt on Saturday as a rampant Hearts side inflicted a first defeat of the season on Walter Smith's side.

In a pulsating encounter, goals by Andy Driver, Ibrahim Tall, Michael Stewart and Kestutis Ivaskevicius overwhelmed the visitors and granted the hosts their third consecutive victory.

Daniel Cousin's second-half penalty and a DaMarcus Beasley strike were Rangers' replies but in truth the desire and application of the hosts would have been unmatchable for most sides. Supposed internal problems with team spirit were never in evidence as Hearts displayed notable unity which should serve them well if maintained throughout the season.
Ibrahim Tall is crowded by jubilant team-mates after getting the second goal.<br /> Picture: Greg Macvean

Ibrahim Tall is crowded by jubilant team-mates after getting the second goal.
Picture: Greg Macvean

Rangers defender Carlos Cuellar endured a particularly horrendous afternoon with a series of clumsy challenges, although he was continually pressurised by a group of home players who chased every ball going.

Hearts were 2-0 in the ascendancy by half-time, and at one point in the second half home supporters were basking in the joy of a 4-1 scoreline against the team that led the SPL at kick-off.

Afterwards, assistant coach Stephen Frail revealed his understandable delight at securing a vital three points. "It's a big result for us and I was pleased by the attitude of the players," he said. "I thought we played good football and also showed a spirit and desire. We aren't always thought of as a good footballing team, but I think we showed we are."

As revealed in Friday's Evening News, Saulius Mikoliunas was unavailable for Hearts due to a hamstring injury and therefore avoided a public berating following his act of simulation for Lithuania against Scotland.
Ivaskevicius shows his joy after getting the fourth and final Hearts goal.<br /> Picture: Greg Macvean

Ivaskevicius shows his joy after getting the fourth and final Hearts goal.
Picture: Greg Macvean

Calum Elliot was relegated to the substitutes' bench to accommodate their return to a lone striker system, Christian Nade being the focal point on his home debut. Rangers rested captain Barry Ferguson and left Lee McCulloch in the stand to allow the former Hibernian players Steven Whittaker and Kevin Thomson places in midfield. They also granted a debut to new signing Amdy Faye.

Following a pre-match fireworks display, Hearts forced Allan McGregor into a commendable save when Audrius Ksanavicius, who enjoyed his best outing in a maroon shirt, released a shot from distance that the goalkeeper managed to tip wide. Referee Mike McCurry endured early criticism for a series of bizarre decisions, failing to book Cuellar for a challenge from behind on Ksanavicius and then ignoring a blatant foul by Sasa Papac on Larry Kingston on Rangers' 18-yard line.

On 13 minutes, Hearts' early pressure paid dividends with the opening goal. Ksanavicius was again involved, running directly at Cuellar with the ball but the Spaniard's interception landed kindly at the feet of Driver in the inside-left channel. The winger wasted no time in dispatching a rasping drive high into the net, sending the home support into delirium.

Rangers looked disjointed as the halfway point of the first half neared, emphasised by their need to impede their opponents at regular intervals. The second goal, delivered by Tall, simply compounded the misery. The visitors cleared a corner only as far as Marius Zaliukas, who returned the ball for Tall to strike an impulsive shot that deflected off the boot of the unfortunate Cuellar and looped over McGregor.
Stevie Frail leads the applause at the final whistle.<br /> Picture: Greg Macvean

Stevie Frail leads the applause at the final whistle.
Picture: Greg Macvean

At 2-0 the game was simmering due to several niggling contests around the pitch, and proceedings became confrontational on 33 minutes. Robbie Neilson tussled with Beasley for possession in the Rangers penalty box before both players squared up. After a few verbals Neilson jogged off but appeared to be tripped by Beasley's boot, which instigated a barging contest involving several players from both sides.

Meanwhile, Ally McCoist and Stephen Frail were arguing vehemently in the technical area, forcing McCurry to address both coaches in an effort to restore order. At half-time there was little doubting who was in command and Rangers introduced Ferguson and Jean-Claude Darcheville, who previously played at Tynecastle on UEFA Cup duty with Bordeaux, to give fresh impetus.

The changes took effect immediately as Ferguson was felled by a rash tackle from Neilson just inside the penalty area. Cousin converted the resultant spot-kick to perhaps sow some seeds of doubt regarding whether Hearts would implode. To their credit, they refused to be bullied into submission and won a penalty on 64 minutes when Alan Hutton tripped substitute Ivaskevicius during a chase for the ball. The kick was consummately finished by Michael Stewart, an outstanding performer all afternoon.

The goal perhaps masked some of the injustice harboured by the hosts over Cuellar's 62nd-minute foul. The Spaniard was dispossessed by Nade before hauling the Frenchman to ground as he headed for goal. McCurry rightly cautioned the Rangers player, but had he been booked as deserved for his early foul on Ksanavicius then the referee would have been forced to produce a red card.

Hearts continued apace intent on killing the game, which effectively happened when Ivaskevicius scored his side's fourth goal. The hosts moved the ball from right to left through Kingston and Nade to the Lithuanian, who cut inside Hutton to drive a shot under the arm of McGregor.

The goalkeeper's frustration at conceding such a soft goal may have been behind his absurd kick at Elliot's stomach late in the game as the ball bounced behind for a goal kick. Again, McCurry refused to take action for a crime that warranted at least a yellow card.

Beasley reduced the deficit with a cleanly struck effort that rendered Steve Banks helpless, but the afternoon belonged to Hearts who finally saw their lone striker system pay off thanks to Nade's titanic performance.

Two years without a victory over Rangers. Some might argue it was worth the wait.
TEAMS

Hearts (4-4-1-1): Banks; Neilson, Tall, Berra, Wallace; Kingston, Zaliukas, Stewart, Driver; Ksanavicius, Nade. Subs: Kurskis, Kancelskis, Elliot 76 (for Nade), Pospisil, Karipidis, Ivaskevicius 49 (for Driver), Palazuelos 73 (for Zaliukas).
Rangers (4-4-2): McGregor; Hutton, Cuellar, Weir, Papac; Whittaker, Faye, Thomson, Beasley; Boyd, Cousin. Subs: Smith, Ferguson 46 (for Faye), Darcheville 46 (for Boyd), Novo 77 (for Cousin), Naismith, Lennon, Loy.

ATTENDANCE: 15,948

REFEREE: Mike McCurry

Taken from the Scotsman