Hearts Turn On Style To Dump Falkirk

Oct 8 2007 Neil Cameron Reports

Clydesdale Bank Premier League Spl Audrius Turns On Charm As Hearts Turn On Style

HEARTS 4

FALKIRK 2

LADIES and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for another ridiculous statement to come out of Tynecastle.The Lithuanians at Hearts are on a charm offensive.

Now that's pretty strange when you consider many of them have been less than charming over these past few years and one or two have been downright offensive.

However, on the evidence of this excellent victory on Saturday this band of brothers from the Baltics are ready to stop being the bad guys. It's time for everyone to like them again - or at least don't hate them.

First of all Audrius Ksanavicius insisted he and his compatriots will do all they can to help Scotland's Euro 2008 campaign when they face France a week on Wednesday. It's fairly obvious PR but as one of their number cheated just last month in a bid to stop us reaching the finals, it was also more than welcome.

But before we got to that comment a Hearts team containing four Lithuanians - Tomas Kancelskis, Marius Zaliukas, Andrius Velicka and Ksanavicius - played as a genuine team, entertained their fans, won at a canter and hinted this may not be a season for Jambos that contained only mad outbursts from their absentee landlord - Vladimir Romanov has not attended a home game this term - but one that might be good in a football sense.

Yes, it was a weird day down Gorgie way.

Hearts gave away two goals right at the death, although Falkirk's first surely must have been offside, in a completely one-sided affair.

Six wins out of their last seven league and cup games, averaging almost three goals a game, make it their best run of results since George Burley was manager.

There is a good balance in the side, a bit of consistency in their team selection and with Romanov nowhere to be seen, all the talk around Tynecastle is about football - strange times indeed.

Romanov should stay away a bit longer because his team are playing good football again and his much-maligned foreign legion have even started to build bridges.

Take Ksanavicius, who scored his first Hearts goal then showed a good line in saying the right thing - not always something you would associate with Hearts in recent times.

He said: "I would like to help Scotland by beating France. We will all be trying our best to win the game. If we do that then the Scots will really like us. We will be heroes.

"Nobody talks about what happened with Saulius Mikoliunas at the club. It is out of our minds. Maybe I was a little bit surprised at the reaction. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he had been Scottish.

"We are confident at the moment because we are winning games and scoring goals.I have won the league with every team I have played for in Lithuania and Latvia.

"That'swhat I want to do here at Hearts - be champion.We do not have a Ronaldinho or a Zidane but we do have a team."

Hearts won't win the league but they are an improving side and easily dismantled Falkirk. The warning signs were there after one minute when Andrew Driver's cross from the left was met by Michael Stewart who managed to put his effort over from six yards.

However, three minutes later the home side did take the lead. Eggert Jonsson slipped a pass to Laryea Kingston on the right wing and his low cross was perfect for Ksanavicius who had more time that he he should been allowed to fire home.

Falkirk did play some decent football and had a few chances, none more so than after eight minutes when Dean Holden's shot was brilliantly tipped over by Stevie Banks.

But the game was effectively over midway through the half. The excellent Stewart sent in a free-kick which Michael Higdon only succeeded in heading down to the feet of Zaliukas who showed great composure to finish.

Best goal of all was Hearts' third on the hour. Jonsson took the ball from Russell Latapy then left-back Kancelskis played Velicka down the right wing. The forward made his way towards goal with a determination the Falkirk defence didn'thave then aimed his right-foot shot past Krul and into the opposite corner.

Velicka was outstanding. He harried Falkirk defenders on a day he was a constant menace. It's been a while since a Lithuanian was Hearts' stand-out player.

He limped off after 65 minutes for Christian Nade who scored two minutes later after a simple one-two with Kingston on the edge of the box totally confused Falkirk and he stabbed his shot into the bottom corner.

Stuart Dougal had to book him for his celebration which would have been over the top if it were a last-minute winner against Hibs. Falkirk were awful. They did score two in the last few minutes but that didn't reflect on the game. Sub Graham Barrett on to a pass over the Hearts defence and almost bumped into Pedro Moutinho, perhaps three yards offside, to score.

The linesman obviously felt sorry for the Bairns because if he wasn't interfering withplay, none of the other 21 players was.

Then in injury time Moutinho found space in the box to beat Banks as the Hearts defence nodded off.They were certainly away seconds later when Barrett's free-kick was touched on to the post by Banks.

But John Hughes may have to rethink afew things. If his team continue to defend like that they won't get out of trouble. Is it time for Yogi to be more defensive?

Oh, and on a slightly depressing note.

After a week when the behaviour of supporters came under scrutiny, it was clear to see that any message has been lost. Just behind the Falkirk dugout there was what looked like a dad with his toddler son watching the game.

Said father was giving Hughes stick and encouraging the three-year-old - if he was that - to stick two fingers up at the Falkirk manager.

One of Edinburgh's finest had to tell him off. Mate - if you're reading this I hope you are ashamed.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Andrius Velicka (Hearts)

Taken from the Daily Record