Andrew Driver’s solo for Hearts draws comparisons to Maradona

There is nothing normally silent about Csaba Laszlo, the Heart of Midlothian manager, but his club have quietly regained their confidence and slipped almost unnoticed into third place behind the Old Firm.

Laszlo is the type of man who would rather use fifty words when four or five would suffice, with his hyperactive antics on the touchlines worthy of the admission money alone, but amid all his eccentricities his coaching abilities have been rather overlooked.

Hearts showed a resolve that has been missing since the days when George Burley was in charge with a team who genuinely seem to play for their manager. Laszlo’s team-bonding sessions and positivity have swept through the corridors of Tynecastle and brought a confidence flowing through his side. They are far from the finished article but in Andrew Driver, the match-winner, and Bruno Aguiar, the ever-impressive midfield player, they have the backbone of a team who could well be playing in the Europa League next season.

The home side fought back from going a goal behind from a neat finish by Steve Lovell, the Falkirk striker, to claim their fourth win in a row courtesy of Aguiar’s free kick and an outstanding solo effort from Driver. It is their best run in three years – since Burley led them to the top of the table before quitting.

Driver’s piece of brilliance saw him slalom past three Falkirk players before rounding Scott Flinders, the goalkeeper who is on loan from Crystal Palace. Only days after Diego Maradona had been in the country, the winger’s goal brought comparisons with his famous strike against England.

“The manager has been keen for me to take the ball and have a go and have the confidence to take players on,” Driver said. “Was this the best goal of my career? I think my free kick against Celtic was better, but even that was a fluke. The space just opened up for me, but I’m embarrassed about it being compared to Maradona’s. There was a big difference between the goals.” Not that his own manager did much to play down the comparison, Laszlo adding: “I’m not a blind man. I saw it myself. If people are making parallels with Maradona, so be it.”

Lee Bullen, the veteran Falkirk defender, admitted that, had he been as close to the Hearts winger as Darren Barr, his teammate, the memorable goal may never have happened.

“You have to hand it to young Driver, it was a smashing goal, but it came from our mistake,” Bullen said. “I thought somebody may have made a professional foul and clipped his heels. I would have had no problems, I would have taken him down. Perhaps Darren thought twice about it as there was still 30 minutes to play.”

Heart of Midlothian (4-5-1): J Balogh 6, R Neilson 6, C Berra 7, M Zaliukas 6, L Wallace 6 – E Jonsson 6 (sub: D Obua, 60min 5), B Aguiar 8, C Karipidis 6, R Palazuelos 7, A Driver 7 – C Nade 7 (sub: J Makela, 90). Substitutes not used: J MacDonald, J Thomson, J Mole, D Templeton, J Brown. Booked: Wallace.

Falkirk (4-4-2): S Flinders 6, D McCaffrey 6, D Barr 7, L Bullen 7, C Mitchell 6 – A Riera 6 (sub: M Stewart, 85), K McBride 6, P Cregg 5 (sub: G Barrett, 67 3), B O’Brien 6 – M Higdon 6, S Lovell 7. Substitutes not used: R Olejnik, S Lynch, J Stewart, K Moffat, M Staunton. Booked: Riera, Mitchell.

Taken from timesonline.co.uk