Inverness CT 2 - 1 Hearts

Andrew Driver's was not the only Hearts jaw to drop when, at half-time in Inverness, he was told he was being replaced by Michael Stewart.

Had Anatoly Korobochka and Angel Chervekov, the mysterious management team who took the decision, been watching the same game as everyone else?

Wasn't Driver their most productive attacking player? Hadn't his 34th minute bullet brought about a Hearts lead after it hit Ian Black, the Caley Thistle midfielder, and flew into his own net?

With Stephen Frail, the club's assistant head coach, distancing himself from the Eastern Europeans he described as "the management team", it took Robbie Neilson, the Tynecastle right back, to highlight the puzzled air in the dressing room as it was announced Driver would not be going out for part two of this dramatic encounter in which Craig Brewster, the hosts' player-manager, fired home a spectacular last-gasp winner after Dennis Wyness had drawn them level.

"Andrew wasn't injured and it was just a tactical decision," said Neilson. "I don't know what the reason behind it was and we were a little bit baffled as well. He was playing great.

"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 the game of the day."

Brewster admitted the winger's absence allowed Ross Tokely, the Caley Thistle right back, to assume a starring role given that he no longer had the Driver to contend with.

Another veteran for the Highlanders, Barry Wilson, was delighted with the club's first points of the season. "It was a fantastic ending," he said. "You could not have written the script for the manager in his first home game back to come on and score a goal like that. It was great.

"The manager is a great person to come on. Two or three times he held the ball and brought players into the game and when you're under the cosh that's something you need."

The smile on Brewster's face, meanwhile, spoke of a win that was thoroughly deserved.

Taken from the Herald