Four in a row as hosts hit dizzy heights ahead of visit of Rangers

WITH DECEMBER not even upon us, Hearts, standing third in the table, kicked off this game no less than 17 points off the top of the table, such is the stranglehold the Old Firm have on Scottish football. Notwithstanding this comprehensive victory - their fourth in a row - that gap is unlikely to close to any significant degree.

Nonetheless, they lead the rest of Scottish football by merit. In this game they played a fast and at times typically Scottish kick-and-rush game, mixed with some controlled short passing movements.

Next week they will have an opportunity to nudge a little closer to second place when they entertain Rangers at Tynecastle.
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Against Falkirk they opened with a flurry of attacks. Andy Driver caused problems on his raids down the left flank, while Robbie Neilson dominated on the righ and Bruno Aguiar ruled the roost through the middle.

It was the visitors, however, undefeated in their last five games, who drew first blood. Michael Higdon slid an exquisite ball between the two Hearts centre backs for Stevie Lovell to slip his shot beneath the advancing Janos Balogh, the ball creeping just inside the post from 15 yards out.

The rules of engagement dictate that any team that takes a lead, especially against the run of play, should then concentrate on making sure they retain it by employing a low risk strategy. But Falkirk held on to their lead for just three minutes. Darren Barr was guilty of giving away a free-kick 20 yards out by felling Nade. He received a talking to from referee Eddie Smith, but one suspects the chat he is likely to have had with John Hughes, his manager, would have been equally awkward.

From the resulting kick Aguiar sent the ball into the top corner of the net with an accuracy that Ronaldinho in his pomp would have been proud of. The goal inevitably drew praise from his manager Csaba Laszlo. "Bruno has spent a lot of time after training, taking free kicks. It has paid off," said Laslo.

Thereafter, Falkirk threatened only briefly, mostly through the promptings of Chris Mitchell. On the half-hour mark he sent a 30 yard free kick just wide of a post that had only been repaired in the morning after vandals broke into Tynecastle overnight and cut down both sets of goals. The strike was close to the target, but in truth Balogh had it covered.

Having levelled, and gone on to dominate the match, Hearts had to wait until it was nearly an hour old to take the lead they so richly deserved and even then, as well taken as the effort was, it was a gift given by Arnau Riera, whose wayward pass was picked up by Driver. He waltzed passed three defenders then turned across the face of goal - and out of the range of Scott Flinders - before slipping the ball into an empty net from 12 yards out. "At the start of the year I would not have had that confidence," said Driver.

Hearts lacked the bite to add to their lead and three times came close to paying the price. With 10 minutes remaining Mitchell sent a speculative, dipping shot in from the right flank which Balogh only just managed to tip away for a corner. From the resulting kick Lee Bullen's strong header was cleared off the line by Aguiar.

Falkirk continued to believe they could grab an equaliser until the end and nearly did so in injury time. Mitchell's cross was met by Higdon, whose header, as powerful as Bullen's, flashed just wide of the target.

Hearts substitutes: Obua for Jonsson 59, Makela for Nade 90 Not used: MacDonald, Thomson, Mole, Templeton, Brown Booked: Wallace 46

Falkirk substitutes: Barrett for Cregg 66, M Stewart for Riera 84 Not used: Olejnik, Lynch, J Stewart, Moffat, Staunton Booked: Riera 63, Mitchell 83

Referee: E Smith Att: 13,009

Taken from the Sunday Herald