Hearts 0-4 Rangers

Feb 28 2008 By Keith Jackson

IF the story of this year's title race is to be a Tale of Two Cities then Rangers certainly enjoyed the best of times as they romped to victory at Tynecastle last night.

This was billed as the big test for Walter Smith and his players. The night we would discover if they have the guts to see this revolution through - just days before Celtic follow them across the M8 for a potentially treacherous away day at Hibs.

We will know soon enough, of course, if this really is make-or-break time in the championship fight. But last night it was Hearts who were left shattered beyond all repair as Rangers turned in a hugely impressive performance.

The Ibrox men scored four with doubles from Jean-Claude Darcheville and Nacho Novo but such was their superiority they could have bagged another two or three.

Hearts? They did nothing more than capitulate and infuriate a home support that had given up on them long before the end. They did not manage even a single shot at goal.

Many disillusioned fans left even before Novo - half-time sub for Darcheville - completed the rout with the goal of the night 20 minutes from the end. If Rangers can continue to produce such powerful and prolific performances from here on in, they might prove unstoppable on their march towards a first league flag in three years.

What the Dickens happens next when Celtic role into Leith on Saturday? That's anyone's guess. But Rangers left the east last night knowing they had done their job.

Smith made two changes to his starting line-up that signalled his intentions.

In for his first start in a Rangers shirt came Christian Dailly as the anchor of a five-man midfield that also included the recalled Charlie Adam. That meant no places for Daniel Cousin or Chris Burke despite the fact they had bagged goals against Gretna.

For Rangers, it was grit over guile. The working clothes were on.

The big surprise was that Hearts had made not a single change to their side - an event almost as rare as a sighting of the club's reclusive owner. That said, the two may not be unrelated. There has certainly, been far more stability about this club since Vladimir Romanov slipped on his spandex suit and fox-trotted off into the distance, leaving Stevie Frail in charge of decisions.

These days Romanov only interferes to do the little things, like flog Frail's top scorer for a pittance and leave him to muddle through without a top marksman.

Perhaps this was why the atmosphere was so strangely low key at a venue that is usually bubbling over with excitement when one of Glasgow's big two visit.

Rangers fans tried to turn up the volume but only by aping a song that embarrassed Celtic at Love Street on Sunday, although with a different sectarian punchline. That it faded out quickly was hardly the point.

On the field, the action was still waiting to catch fire but it almost ignited in 12 minutes when only a special save from Steve Banks prevented Rangers from taking the lead. The keeper had, moments earlier, clawed a stray cross out from under his bar at the cost of a corner but stayed switched on to produce a reflex stop after Dailly had connected with Barry Ferguson's delivery and found Steven Naismith unmarked inside Hearts' sixyard box.

The little poacher head-flicked it on towards the target expecting to see the net bulge but the keeper denied him by leaping to push the ball over the bar.

It was a terrific save but one that ensured the caginess would continue for a while.

Play rattled around in no particular direction, broken up only by the occasional meaty challenge, but it was from one such tackle that Rangers were to create their next chance - and this time there was nothing Banks could do to keep them out.

It was little Steve Davis who snapped in at the ankles of Ruben Palazuelos, winning the ball cleanly, even if the tall Spaniard went down looking for a foul.

Davis looked up to pick out Ferguson with a pass and the captain, with his back to goal, helped it on with a subtle flick into the path of Darcheville.

The Frenchman had not started the game well, looking cumbersome at times, but his composure returned at the crucial moment as he burst through to screw a low shot across Banks and in at the goalkeeper's left-hand post.

The adrenalin was certainly soaring as manager Smith went leaping on to the trackside with his fists pumping the crisp night air.

Smith urged his men to focus, expecting an immediate and full-blooded backlash from Hearts but it never materialised.

Instead, Rangers contained the home side all too easily, strangling the life out of them in midfield.

And then two minutes before half-time the league leaders struck for a second time to claim a commanding two-goal lead after another Ferguson corner had been met at the back post by Carlos Cuellar.

The Spaniard's header flashed across the six-yard box and, although Naismith could not connect, that man Darcheville was lurking without a marker and was able to bundle the ball over the line.

Hearts fans growled their disapproval as the players headed up the tunnel but no sooner had the teams disappeared than those in maroon scarves had their noses rubbed further in the dirt when Andrius Velicka, their favourite goal-getter, was paraded in the centre circle and asked to wave his farewells.

If nothing else, this seemed a rather crass and thoughtless gesture from the bosses. Surely it had not escaped their notice that their team was crying out for a player of Velicka's threat.

Still, at least they would not have to defend against Darcheville who stayed indoors at the break. Unfortunately for Frail and his team, Novo was on in his place.

And, with 52 minutes gone, the little Spaniard gave his side a three-goal lead.

Again Ferguson was at the heart of the move, darting forward from midfield before feeding Charlie Adam on the left. Adam cut inside Robbie Neilson before lashing the ball low across the face of goal with his right boot for Novo to apply the finishing touch.

Frail, who had hooked the lacklustre Deividas Cesnauskis and sent out Saulius Mikoliunas for the second half, quickly removed Jose Goncalves also and sent for pocket rocket Kestutis Ivaskevicius.

Eggert Jonsson was next to be replaced - by Marius Zaliukas.

It was all too much for hundreds of Hearts fans who made for the exits. They had seen enough - and they were the lucky ones.

Those who stayed were left to suffer more when Novo conjured an impudent finish in 69 minutes to turn a beating into a rout.

Again the striker was picked out by Adam's low cross, this time from the right, but he came up with something special, opening up his body to roll the ball home with the heel of his right boot.

Even as the ball kissed the back of Banks' net it was greeted by the sound of plastic seats snapping shut as thousands more headed for home, some pausing on their way out to snarl angrily at the directors box.

Novo was clearly expecting a penalty after being bundled over in the box by Christos Karipidis but referee Stuart Dougal thought otherwise.

However, there was further good news for Rangers before the end when Kevin Thomson left the bench to replace Davis and make his top-team return five weeks after a double hernia op.With so much at stake, his timing is perfect and Thomson can now look forward to playing his part in athrilling climax to the season.

It is a far, far better thing he does now than he has ever done before.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Barry Ferguson (Rangers)

Magic Moment: Novo's second goal was a thing of beauty.

Taken from the Daily Record