Hearts 2 Gretna 0
FRAIL-SAFE FOR HEARTS

Scorers: HEARTS: Velicka (2, 1p)

By Colin Brown

ANDRIUS VELICKA fired Hearts to their third successive SPL victory as they leapfrogged city rivals Hibs in the table.

Relegation certs Gretna were no match for the Jambos, but the improvement at Tynecastle is palpable since Stevie Frail was appointed caretaker manager.

Seasoned campaigner Robbie Neilson was in no doubt why things have improved in recent weeks.

He said: “Since Stevie took over morale has improved, training is much better and there’s more consistency in selection.

“The defence has been training together as a unit of five, including the keeper Steve Banks, and the drills have certainly helped us.

“We’ve moved up the league again today and we are still targeting a top-six finish.

“Having Andrius Velicka, above, in the side is a big help because he tends to score if he gets a chance.

“Now we are looking forward to getting Laryea Kingston back from the African Nations Cup and that will strengthen us again.”

The Jambos came flying out of the traps and Audrius Ksanavicius released Velicka through a square Gretna defence.

The striker skipped around keeper Greg Fleming, but his touch took him wide and he screwed his finish into the side-netting.

But the Lithuanian striker made amends as the Jambos settled their nerves with a third-minute opener. You could have driven a double-decker bus through the hole in the Gretna defence as Velicka ran on to Michael Stewart’s pass.

However, the finish was of the highest quality as Velicka blasted a left-foot shot into the top corner from 18 yards, with Fleming rooted to the spot.

Gretna had little to offer other than Kenny Deuchar’s header high over the bar from Gavin Skelton’s cross and they were hampered when defender Aurelien Collin limped off after 23 minutes and Craig Barr replaced him.

A short corner saw Andrew Driver swing in a dangerous cross that was met by Christos Karapidis’ head and keeper Fleming recovered to back-pedal and tip over. Fleming was back in action to tip Ruben Palazuelos’ shot around the post and Driver should have scored when Ksanavicius found him in space 15 yards out, but his volley was well over the bar.

The crucial second goal arrived before the interval, though. Danny Hall bundled into the back of Velicka in the box and the striker dusted himself down and slammed home the spot-kick for his 15th goal of a productive season.

It was more of the same after the break as Driver burst into the box before tamely slicing wide of goal when it looked certain he’d score.

Steve Banks was forced into his first save after an hour when he blocked from Mickael Buscher.

However Gretna’s task became impossible after 64 minutes when they were reduced to 10 men as Hall, who picked up a booking in conceding the penalty, saw red for a late tackle on Ksanavicius.

Hearts could have run riot were it not for a combination of poor finishing and brave goalkeeping.

Saulius Mikoliunas saw Fleming turn his shot from the corner of the box around the post and the keeper made an even better save when he went down at the sub’s feet as he ran on to Driver’s through pass.

Velicka then hit a searing drive across goal from a tight angle that went inches wide. And two minutes from time he had the ball in the net, only to be denied his hat-trick courtesy of an offside decision.

Boss Frail hailed Velicka’s efforts and said: “You can see the work he puts into the game and he’s the same in training every day.

“I thought his first chance was easier than the one he scored with, but he’s a real asset to us.

“Leapfrogging Hibs is a positive for us, but it’s just another place in the league and we still want a top-six finish.”

Hearts certainly benefited from the changes in Davie Irons’ side as numerous loan signings struggled to settle, but keeper Fleming still feels avoiding relegation is possible.

He said: “We have made a lot of changes which is difficult, but we are getting to know each other now and training together every day.

“We won’t give up and we’ve got two games in hand and you never say never in football.

“I’m just glad to be back in the team and it was nice to play well at Tynecastle where you’ll always get plenty to do as the goalkeeper.”

HEARTS: Banks, Berra, Palazuelos, Velicka, Neilson, Karipidis, Ksanavicius (Eliott 76), Stewart (McCann 82), Goncalves, Cesnauskias (Mikoliunas 70) Driver. Subs not used: Basso, Wallace, Zaliukas, Beniusis.
GRETNA: Fleming, Hall, Naughton, Colin (Barr 22) Innes, Griffiths (Meynell 55), Murray (Wilkinson 76), Skelton, Buscher, Deuchar, Kessock. Subs not used: Krysiak, McGill, Deverdics, Makinwa.