Hearts 3 - 2 Inverness CT

One week to go in the transfer window and Hearts still haven't sold anyone. Vladimir Romanov won't be as happy as the fans at that fact, but Andy Driver might help him improve his cashflow over the next few days.

Everton, Rangers and, less probably, Dinamo Kiev are keen on the winger and Saturday's performance might have erased prospective buyers' lingering doubts as the 21-year-old's direct running created all three Hearts goals and won a penalty.

Driver had claimed one assist but was still having a relatively quiet game until he switched to the right wing in the second half and began to torment first Roy McBain, then Grant Munro after McBain was sent off for his furious reaction to the penalty award.
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His pace is his most obvious asset, but Driver also dispelled doubts over the quality of his final ball with a succession of dangerous left and right-foot crosses. David Obua headed one in in each half, while Laryea Kingston tapped in another for the winner, seconds after Inverness had made it 2-2 in the 88th minute.

Kingston returned the compliment by giving his team-mate a glowing reference.

"Andy Driver is one of the most talented players in the UK, not just in Scotland," he insisted. "I like him a lot. Even if he doesn't have a good game he can create something for the team.

"Every player aims to play at the highest level. If one of the big clubs come in and he wants to go then that's his decision. I think he can fit in at any club in the UK."

The Ghanaian's praise was generous, but fast, left-footed wingers are always in demand and Driver has shown more than enough promise to win a return to England.

Kingston himself has been the subject of speculation, but insisted that he is "just concentrating on getting fit". Michael Stewart is attracting Serie A interest according to his manager while, with Bayern Munich paying close attention to Hearts' matches, captain Christophe Berra looked Kaiser-like on a couple of occasions when he brought the ball out of defence, if less certain at set-pieces.

Given the state of Hearts' finances, sales will actively be sought, but will also probably end the club's ambitions of finishing third. The squad looks too weak to cope without key players and bottom club Inverness should have taken at least a point from Saturday's encounter.

New signing Pavel Mihadjuks, impressive at centre-half, caught the defence sleeping at a free-kick to cancel out Obua's first goal, while Dougie Imrie's magnificent left-foot free-kick from 30 yards appeared to have earned a point before Driver sprinted up the right wing straight from the kick-off and put the winner on a plate for Kingston.

The Highland club have interviewed two candidates for their vacant manager's job and will speak to four more today in the hope of making an appointment tomorrow.

Archie Knox would have to forego his substantial gardening leave from Blackburn Rovers to take the post, while John Robertson and Chris Sutton are not believed to be realistic candidates.

The team showed enough to raise the hopes of Terry Butcher and other remaining candidates that relegation is not a foregone conclusion, though the new manager will have to do without McBain for a while after he was dismissed for making a gesture to one of the linesman after Stewart missed his penalty. He was furious with the award, but clearly fouled Driver.

"Defeat was a hard one to take," said Ryan Esson, who saved the spot-kick and kept his team in it with other key stops. He insisted Obua's first goal should not have stood. "On another day it's a free-kick - does he make any contact with the ball or is he just jumping into me?"

Taken from the Herald