Hearts 4 Rangers 2

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Rangers suffered their first defeat of the season as Hearts belatedly kick-started their own campaign.

The Clydesdale Bank Premier League match had everything - six goals, seven bookings and a penalty at each end.

Goals from Andrew Driver, Ibrahim Tall, Michael Stewart and Kestutis Ivaskevicius meant Hearts ran out winners, with Rangers now having to regroup before their Champions League opener against Stuttgart on Wednesday.

Barry Ferguson's exertions with Scotland in Paris midweek resulted in a place on the bench for the Rangers skipper, while Amdy Faye made his debut after joining on loan from Charlton on transfer deadline day.

Despite his own gruelling shift against France, David Weir was restored to the heart of defence in place of the injured Andy Webster.

Hearts also made two changes - Driver and Lee Wallace replacing Jose Goncalves and Calum Elliot - but the name on the team-sheet everyone was looking for was that of Saulius Mikoliunas.

Mikoliunas found himself at the centre of a diving storm thanks to his antics with Lithuania against Scotland last week but failed to make the 18-man squad after returning from international duty with a hamstring strain.

The travelling support were determined to make a point anyway and lustily sang, "You've got more cheats than Celtic". They were soon to be silenced by the gritty efforts of Hearts.

The game quickly burst into life with passes pinging between blue and maroon jerseys on the 18-yard line before breaking to Audrius Ksanavicius, whose 25-yard strike fizzed just wide.

That proved to be a warning of what was to come and Hearts took the lead with 13 minutes gone. Marius Zaliukas won the aerial battle with Carlos Cuellar before trying to set up Ksanavicius in front of goal.

Cuellar intercepted but his clearance fell only as far as Driver who gleefully lashed into the top corner from just outside the area, his effort taking a deflection off Alan Hutton.

Hearts doubled their lead after 26 minutes. Zaliukas tried his luck with a hopeful shot which cannoned off the bodies lining the edge of the box. The ball then broke kindly to Tall who rifled a right-footed shot from 20 yards past Allan McGregor.

At times, it was hard to believe this was the same Hearts side who had so meekly surrendered to a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Celtic a few weeks ago.

The fireworks on the Tynecastle pitch prior to kick-off may have been a nice touch from the home side, if a little over the top, but were nothing compared to the explosions which followed.

Hutton had been booked earlier and he was joined in referee Mike McCurry's book by DaMarcus Beasley for a shove on Robbie Neilson. Neilson was also cautioned for dissent as tempers on both sides threatened to boil over and others players became involved in the melee.

Hearts assistant coach Stephen Frail and Rangers number two Ally McCoist then shared an angry exchange from their respective dug-outs, earning a lecture from the fourth official and the referee.

Back on the pitch, Thomson was cautioned for a foul on Stewart, as Hearts held onto their lead until the break.

Ferguson and Jean-Claude Darcheville were thrown into the action for the second half. The ineffective Kris Boyd and Faye were the players sacrificed.

Ferguson's introduction had an almost immediate impact on the game. He won Rangers a penalty after being felled in the box by Neilson and Daniel Cousin stepped up to despatch low under the body of Steve Banks after 48 minutes.

Driver made way for Ivaskevicius, before Ksanavicius prodded wide as Hearts desperately tried to restore their two-goal advantage.

They got their wish after 65 minutes when the referee ruled Ivaskevicius had been fouled in the box by Hutton and Stewart rifled low into McGregor's bottom right-hand corner.

The home side were now on a high and Ivaskevicius helped himself to a goal with 20 minutes to go as Rangers' hopes of a comeback grew ever fainter.

He turned Hutton on the edge of the area before driving low under the body of McGregor, who should have done better.

Rangers pulled a goal back three minutes later when Darcheville held held off his marker to collect a long ball from Thomson before setting up Beasley for the left-footed angled drive. But it proved too little, too late for the Ibrox side, who returned to Glasgow empty-handed for the first time this season.

Teams:

Hearts Banks, Neilson, Tall, Berra, Wallace, Kingston,Zaliukas (Palazuelos 72), Stewart, Driver (Ivaskevicius 49),Ksanavicius, Nade (Elliot 76).

Subs Not Used: Kurskis, Pospisil, Kancelskis, Karipidis.

Booked: Neilson, Stewart, Ksanavicius.

Goals: Driver 13, Tall 27, Stewart 66 pen, Ivaskevicius 70.

Rangers McGregor, Hutton, Weir, Cuellar, Papac, Whittaker,Beasley, Thomson, Faye (Darcheville 46), Boyd (Ferguson 46),Cousin (Novo 77).

Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, Naismith, Lennon, Loy.

Booked: Hutton, Beasley, Thomson, Cuellar.

Goals: Cousin 49 pen, Beasley 74.

Att: 15,948

Ref: M McCurry (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com