Hearts 1-0 Inverness CT

BARRY ANDERSON
AT TYNECASTLE
MONEY is often cited as the sole motivation of footballers but the Hearts players proved their obligation to the cause with a rousing victory over Inverness. Despite their well publicised lack of pay this week, the Edinburgh side at times displayed a passion cash cannot buy.
Saulius Mikoliunas scored the decisive goal after just eight minutes' play, a calm finish following sound build-up play from the home midfield. Hearts insist their players will be paid next week and only a technical problem problem prevented wages being processed until now, however there exists a purpose within the current Tynecastle squad not driven by financial gain.

This win moved them from fifth to second in the SPL with Rangers, Celtic and Kilmarnock not in action until Sunday. Some sublime passing, intelligent movement and pure desire were sufficent to dispense with a talented Inverness side that perhaps only lacks a regular goalscorer following Marius Niculae's departure.

Audrius Ksanavicius' inclusion was Hearts' only change from last weekend's defeat at Falkirk. He replaced the unfortunate Adrian Mrowiec whilst Christian Nade again took his seat amongst the substitutes.

Marian Kello was pressed into action early, spreading himself at Phil McGuire's feet in the opening minutes. An acrobatic effort from Christos Karipidis followed as it became evident that this would be both an entertaining and free-flowing encounter. Eight minutes in, Hearts capitalised on the contest's openness to move ahead.

Ksanavicius' intelligent ball in behind the visiting defence allowed Mikoliunas to scarper through and calmly stroke the ball low past Michael Fraser. The Inverness goalkeeper appeared to be caught in two minds about whether to come out and challenge his opponent, and Mikoliunas seized on the hesitancy.

Michael Stewart almost doubled the advantage on 18 minutes, flicking a boot at Lee Wallace's pass over the top and forcing Fraser to palm the looping ball to safety. Larry Kingston then drove a powerful shot into the Roseburn Stand with Hearts by now dominating proceedings.

As if to make their supporters' pulses quicken, the hosts contrived to hand Inverness an opportunity on a plate after 33 minutes. Marian Kello's throw to Lee Wallace gifted the visitors possession and Ian Black's cross was palmed out by Kello - desperate to make amends - only as far as Dougie Imrie. The winger's strike was again repelled by the Slovakian before Eggert Jonsson cleared.

The lack of conviction acted as a tonic on Inverness, who finished the half strongest despite Hearts' superior passing moves. They also restarted with similar vigour and it required a quite outstanding stop from Kello on 58 minutes to deny them an equaliser. Phil McGuire's high ball spun off Marius Zaliukas' head into the path of Roy McBain. His left-footed strike lacked nothing in power but the Hearts goalkeeper beat it away.

The hosts maintained their passing approach into the closing stages. Nerves were increasingly evident around Tynecastle due to such a fragile lead and Inverness sensed one break could see them restore parity. Kingston's tame effort was collected by Fraser as the battle for midfield supremacy raged on.

However, the afternoon ended with a well-earned three points for Hearts which lifts them three places in the SPL table ahead of Sunday's action.

Hearts (4-4-1-1): Kello; Jonsson, Zaliukas, Berra, Wallace; Kingston, Karipidis, Stewart, Mikoliunas; Ksanavicius; Mole. Subs: MacDonald, Palazuelos 77 (for Mikoliunas), Nade 60 (for Ksanavicius), Mrowiec 86 (for Stewart), Thomson, Rapnik, Glen.

Inverness (4-4-2): Fraser; Tokely, McGuire, Munro, Hastings; Cowie, Black, McBain, Imrie; Barrowman, Rooney. Subs: Esson, Djebi-Zadi, Wilson 74 (for Black), McAllister, Wood 63 (for Rooney), Duff, Vigurs 81 (for McBain).

Referee: William Collum.

Attendance: 12,890.

Taken from the Scotsman