Rangers 2 Hearts 1

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport Chief Scottish Football Writer

Lee McCulloch's late second goal secured victory for Rangers over Hearts in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and ensured there was no European hangover at Ibrox.

Rangers were determined to make amends for the midweek Champions League exit to Lyon and McCulloch set them on their way with an early opener against the Tynecastle side.

Hearts then hit back through Andrius Velicka but the visitors were sent back to Edinburgh empty-handed when McCulloch claimed his second goal of the day with just four minutes to go.

The visit to Tynecastle in September resulted in Rangers' worst performance of the season so far and Walter Smith was keen to avoid a repeat of that 4-2 drubbing so soon after the disappointment of Lyon.

He shuffled his pack after Wednesday's game and Kris Boyd and McCulloch were the preferred strike partnership with Steven Naismith deployed on the left of midfield and Charlie Adam on the right.

Sasa Papac was dropped in favour of Steven Whittaker at left-back, while Daniel Cousin and Kevin Thomson were both absent from the 18-man squad.

Hearts also made changes following last week's disappointing loss to Motherwell and Calum Elliot and Ruben Palazuelos replaced Andrius Ksanavicius and the suspended Michael Stewart, with both teams feeling they had a point to prove.

It was one-way traffic early on as Rangers dominated, and only the woodwork denied Adam an early opener when his dipping half-volley from 25 yards out crashed off the crossbar.

Naismith then had a couple of decent chances, bundling a Boyd cross wide before drilling off target after Alan Hutton had teed up the shot.

However, Rangers did not have to wait too long for the breakthrough, which arrived with 17 minutes gone.

Boyd and Jose Goncalves collided, and the Hearts defender nodded the ball into the air.

Three Hearts players - including Goncalves - then stood back and allowed McCulloch to charge into the box and gleefully rifle past goalkeeper Eduardas Kurskis.

The moment was soured slightly when referee Dougie McDonald produced a yellow card following over-exuberant celebrations from the goalscorer.

To their credit, Hearts refused to crumble and immediately set about trying to restore parity.

Saulius Mikoliunas tried his luck with an audacious long-range shot, which did little to trouble Allan McGregor in the Rangers goal.

Andrew Driver then latched on to a Goncalves ball out on the left flank before driving across the face of goal and wide of the upright, as Rangers kept their slim advantage at the break.

Mikoliunas made way for Kestutis Ivaskevicius at half-time but it was Velicka who was the dangerman for Hearts in the second half.

He collected a Driver pass shortly after the restart but finishing let him down as he swept a shot across the goalmouth and wide.

Rangers then had the chance to double their lead when Adam's swerving free-kick found the head of Boyd who directed a header just off target from close range.

Velicka gave Boyd a lesson in finishing with 55 minutes gone. Whittaker was booked for a challenge on Robbie Neilson and the foul proved costly for Rangers when Driver's free-kick picked out Velicka who nodded past McGregor from eight yards.

Despite his exploits, Velicka was withdrawn for Christian Nade a few minutes later, before Rangers swapped Boyd for Jean-Claude Darcheville.

Tempers began to boil over as the match raced towards the final 10 minutes, with Palazuelos booked for kicking the ball away before being joined by Hutton for lashing out at Elliot.

Just when Hearts thought they had held on for a point, Rangers snatched the winner.

Adam's free-kick picked out Hutton on the edge of the box and his poor attempt at a shot fell to the feet of McCulloch, whose own mis-kicked effort was fumbled into the back of the net by Kurskis.

Teams

Rangers McGregor, Hutton, Cuellar, Weir, Whittaker, McCulloch,Ferguson, Hemdani, Adam, Boyd (Darcheville 69),Naismith (Burke 84).

Subs Not Used: Carroll, Papac, Ehiogu, Furman, Efrem.

Booked: Whittaker, Hutton.

Goals: McCulloch 18, 87.

Hearts Kurskis, Neilson, Zaliukas, Berra, Goncalves,Mikoliunas (Ivaskevicius 46), Palazuelos (Beniusis 88),Jonsson, Driver, Velicka (Nade 60), Elliot.

Subs Not Used: Banks, Wallace, McGowan, Brown.

Booked: Palazuelos, Neilson.

Goals: Velicka 56.

Att: 48,392

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com