Hearts 1-2 Kilmarnock

Oct 5 2008 Gavin Berry At Tynecastle

JIM JEFFERIES says Craig Bryson reminds him of former Hearts hero Colin Cameron after the Killie kid snatched a superb winner.

Jeff moulded Cameron from a raw young talent into a fully-fledged Scotland international when they were both at Tynecastle.

Now he reckons young Bryson is on a similar career path because he shares the same qualities as Mickey.

Bryson snatched three points for Killie with the winner eight minutes from time to send the Ayrshire side third.

Earlier some Moroccan magic from Mehid Taouil gave Killie the lead before a stunning free-kick by Laryea Kingston levelled the score at half-time.

Jeff said: "Craig is still only 21 and his run for the goal typifies him.

"It reminds me of what Mickey used to do at Hearts - arriving late in the box and keeping his composure to finish.

"It was a terrific finish from Craig. He only had the keeper to beat but you still have to place it - and he did that so well.

"I had to have a chat with him after last week because he was too far up the pitch rather than doing his midfield job first and making his runs from there.

"He's better picking up the ball and driving at people - that's what he's good at and why he's getting goals."

Bryson was flattered with his manager's comparison and admitted: "It's a big compliment - Cameronwas a great player in his day.

"I got a rollicking after the 3-1 defeat at Inverness but we're glad to bounce back and show that was only a blip."

The win kept up Jefferies' good record against his old club, with only one defeat now in the last nine against the team he led to Scottish Cup glory in 1998.

Killie had been joint top of the SPL but a hat-trick of defeats on the spin had brought them back down to earth before this Tynecastle trip.

But they were flying again after only 19 minutes when they took the lead in spectacular style through fans' favourite Taouil.

Hearts offered up the chance when Jamie Mole was booked by ref Craig Thomson for stopping Bryson in his tracks just outside the penalty area.

In a week when Scottish clubs in Europe were undone by free-kicks, Taouil produced a stunning strike, lifting the ball over the wall and beyond a helpless Marian Kello.

Killie were off and running but it could all have been so different if Csaba Laszlo's men had converted a chance at the other end just moments earlier.

Kingston made a good run and swung a cross in to the box from the right.

Mike Tullberg stretched but just failed to make a connection and a glorious chance was lost.

However, Kingston turned executor when hemadeHearts' next chance count just after the half-hour mark.

Tullberg - making his first start for the men in maroon - played the ball in to the box for Michael Stewart.

His shotwas blocked and fell to Kingston who kept his cool to sidefoot in at the bottom corner.

The Ghanaian midfielder could have added a second just before the hour when he met Jason Thomson's cross on the volley but his effort was just over the bar.

Then with both teams throwing everything in to attack in testing conditions, Kingston had another decent opening.

Saulius Mikoliunas' pass sent him through but Alan Combe was equal to the shot.

Hearts were made to pay the price for failing to take the best of the second-half chances.

With time running out and the match looking like ending in stalemate Killie got the winner to send their fans wild.

The goal was well-worked with Donovan Simmonds combining with Bryson and the former Clyde man coolly slotting beyond Kello.

The Rugby Park men could have made their win even more convincing through Gavin Skelton with almost his first touch of the ball after climbing off the bench.

Kello made a great save to deny the former Gretna man before unlucky Kingston headed wide from close range right at the death.

REF WATCH CRAIG THOMSON coped well in testing conditions and there can be few complaints about the official's performance. The whistler called the key decisions correctly and his six bookings were justified. Rating: 8/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail