Lethal Velicka strikes lift Hearts' hopes

Gretna 0

Frail's men continue progress, with third place still target
THE pursuit of mediocrity is not what Hearts season-ticket holders subscribed to last summer, yet this victory which elevated their club to the dizzy heights of eighth place in the SPL perhaps suggested something of note could still be salvaged from a largely miserable campaign.

It is a far cry from Vladimir Romanov's grand vision of title triumphs and Champions League success, but were Hearts to build on their recent unspectacular but steady progress under Stephen Frail's command then a target of third place and UEFA Cup qualification should not be beyond them.

While their short-term goal remains simply to get back into the top six before the SPL split, this third successive win and clean sheet in the league left them a far from insurmountable nine points behind the current occupants of the 'best of the rest' position, Dundee United.

"Third place is a big ask for us," observed Hearts' long-serving defender Robbie Neilson, "but anything outwith that is a disappointment for this club. We have to try and turn things around, get into the top six and take it from there. It's not beyond us to finish third.

"Since Stevie (Frail] took over, the whole morale of the place has improved. We have shown a bit of consistency and training has been of a higher standard."

While the solidity of a back four now unchanged for seven matches was the foundation of Saturday's victory, it is the form of striker Andrius Velicka which could prove the key factor in how far up the SPL ladder Hearts are able to climb by the end of the season.

The most productive of all the players club owner Romanov has imported from his adopted homeland, the big Lithuanian combines a terrific work ethic with the natural finishing talent he displayed when latching on to Michael Stewart's fine through ball to smash a low left-foot shot into the net after three minutes.

The outcome was seldom in doubt after that, and the three points were effectively secured four minutes before half-time when Velicka took his goals tally for the season to 14, converting a penalty kick awarded for Danny Hall's foul on him. The striker was denied a hat-trick near the end by an offside flag.

"It makes a big difference when you have someone up there like Andrius," said Neilson. "When he gets a chance, you pretty much know he is going to take it. It's been a while since we had a striker you can bank on to get you at least 20 goals a season, but Andrius should certainly do that this season."

The yellow card Hall collected in conceding the penalty proved fateful for Gretna as the defender was dismissed 20 minutes into the second half when referee Charlie Richmond deemed his foul on Audrius Ksanavicius worthy of a second booking.

Gretna's reduction to ten men came when they were enjoying their best spell of the contest, albeit without seriously managing to test Steve Banks in the Hearts goal. Kenny Deuchar had missed their clearest opportunity early in the first half, heading over from close range with the score at 1-0, but there were at least some encouraging signs for manager Davie Irons.

Still nine points behind Kilmarnock, but with two games in hand, Gretna retain hope of an unlikely escape from relegation. "As long as we are still in touching distance of at least one other team, we won't give up," said Irons.

The wholesale recruitment of players on loan may smack of desperation from the club rooted to the bottom of the SPL, but they do appear to have unearthed a gem in the diminutive form of attacking midfielder John Paul Kissock. The 18-year-old, borrowed from Everton for the remainder of the campaign, was by far the most enterprising and entertaining player on view at Tynecastle on Saturd
ay.

The Liverpudlian teenager admitted afterwards he was happy to accept his manager Davie Moyes' advice to join a club he had scarcely heard of as the transfer window closed.

"I had about 20 minutes to make up my mind on the move," revealed Kissock. "I didn't know anything about Gretna, but the manager at Everton told me the SPL was a good league and that it would be great experience.

"I agreed to it and it was only when I went and did a bit of homework that I found out Gretna were bottom of the table. But it's been really enjoyable so far. There is a lot of ability and belief in the squad."

Man of the match
Andrius Velicka (Hearts)
While Gretna's John Paul Kissock was by far the most aesthetically pleasing player on show, Velicka was the most effective. Strong, energetic and skilful, the Hearts striker has scored five goals in his last six games.

Taken from the Scotsman