Brewster goal shows Hearts who's boss

WITH his familiar golden locks brutally cropped to a close shave, Robbie Neilson wore the look of a shell-shocked squaddie as he faced interrogation after Hearts' latest show of willful self-destruction.

At least part of the full-back's expression must have been drawn from bewilderment at the baffling tactical manoeuvrings that seemed to rip the carpet from under the Tynecastle club's feet on Saturday.

Like all Hearts players, Neilson had to choose his words wisely for fear of reprisal, but his appraisal illuminated the illogic of it all. A mere two changes to the side that had beaten Rangers represented as close to stability as it comes for Hearts these days, but the sense of normality was fleeting.

As the teams re-emerged for the second half with Hearts 1-0 up, Andrew Driver, one of their most effective first-half players, was nowhere to be seen.

In his place came Michael Stewart, strangely omitted after dictating against Rangers, with Calum Elliot also replacing Andrius Velicka in a reshuffling that fuelled Caley Thistle's resurgence.

Hearts seemed de-energised by the removal of Driver, whose attempted cross had struck off Ian Black for the own-goal opener after 33 minutes.

Without Driver's presence wide left, Ross Tokely began to terrorise Hearts with thundering runs down the right flank, a factor directly leading to the Inverness equaliser through Dennis Wyness in 63 minutes.

While Hearts might have won when Laryea Kingston's swirling free-kick cracked off the post with nine minutes remaining, Craig Brewster's acrobatic stoppage-time swipe was deserved on the second half swing in fortunes.

The Inverness player-manager later credited Driver's mysterious removal for aiding Tokely's influential display, while a dignified but downbeat Stephen Frail was left to try to explain a decision to which he was not party.

The bizarre tampering that fuels conspiracy theories on Vladimir Romanov's involvement in selection and substitutions was, Frail indicated, down to the reclusive management team of Anatoly Korobochka and Angel Chervenkov. "Driver wasn't injured and it was just a tactical decision," said Neilson. "I don't know what was behind it - we were a little bit baffled as well. Driver was tormenting Caley Thistle through the whole of the first half.

"[The management team] have made the decision and we just need to abide with it, because the player who comes on in his place should be up to scratch. We have good depth to our squad but, personally, if someone is doing well during the first half then I would keep them on.

"There may be some reason behind it and we have a big game on Tuesday, so perhaps they are thinking ahead to that. But they should really be thinking about today's game.

"Andy was probably our best player and then he got taken off. Hopefully he is going to be a big player for us this season. The rest of us just need to take a long, hard look at ourselves."

All of Hearts' angst should not disguise the fact that this was an impressive Inverness recovery. Players that could have hidden as they hurtled towards a seventh consecutive defeat took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half.

Barry Wilson, a stand-out performer along with Don Cowie, Tokely and Brewster,

said: "You couldn't have written the script better for the manager in his first home game back here. To come on with five minutes left and score a goal of that quality was fantastic. Hopefully, that can be the turning point for our season."

Taken from the Scotsman