A free kick in the teeth

At the juncture of Lafferty's equaliser, concern was definitely creeping into Rangers' ranks. Jefferies' 5-3-2 formation bore a striking resemblance to the system Smith employed during Rangers' opening two Champions League group matches against Manchester United and Bursaspor. The Hearts manager was at Ibrox last week as Naismith's solitary strike saw the Turks dispensed with and, one surmises, might have derived some inspiration from Rangers' tactics on the night.

Whether that is the case or not, there was no denying by full-time on Saturday that Rangers had executed a lucky escape against a resolute Hearts team of which Smith himself would have been proud. On the balance of play the visitors deserved to win, but they were a frustrated bunch at 1-0 down in the 79th minute. As were their supporters, who could sense their team was being frustrated and stifled at every opportunity.

Lafferty's low free-kick beneath a weak Hearts wall gave them breathing space only minutes after his introduction as substitute. Naismith's winner - after he had run 60 yards and exchanged passes with the Irishman - brought pure relief. Perhaps it was that which prompted the player's ill-advised dash to the front of Tynecastle's main stand to celebrate in front of Hearts supporters.

The ugly scenes which followed included lighters, coins, bottles and cups being thrown at Naismith and his colleagues. One of the objects struck assistant referee Willie Conquer in a needless few seconds for which Hearts will rightly expect to be punished by the game's authorities. Naismith's decision-making must also be questioned, though.

Having scored a decisive goal at the end of such a high-octane fixture, he could easily have sprinted to the travelling fans to stick his tongue out but instead chose to conduct his celebration in front of home fans, thus instigating a wholly inflammatory situation.

That should not be allowed to cloud a thoroughly engrossing game of football, however. One in which Hearts very nearly usurped Rangers by mimmicking the cautious and dogged approach that has become Smith's own trademark.

"We took a while to settle into the game but we got the goal to go ahead," said Jefferies. "It's just so frustrating that the equalising goal came from the wall not doing its job. It was a side foot and the wall jumped. It's not Marian Kello's fault .

"The big thing was that, at 1-1, we had a golden opportunity to win the game. Kevin Kyle had three good chances - one at the back post, a free header from a corner and that last one from a fantastic cross by Craig Thomson. Nine times out of ten he sticks that away.

"We played Skacel (from the start for the first time] because in training through the week we worked with three at back and two full-backs. I think the system suits him fine because Eggert Jonsson and Ian Black work tirelessly and Rudi was free to get forward. He got a wee break at the goal, it fell for him kindly and he stuck it away. For me Adrian Mrowiec was man of the match, he was outstanding at the back."

Mrowiec, Kello and Ismael Bouzid were indeed Hearts' best performers. Having worked so tirelessly to contain Rangers, the hosts were irked when referee Craig Thomson allocated five minutes stoppage time. Four minutes into it, he awarded the visitors a free-kick claiming his namesake in the Hearts team had challenged Sasa Papac with his boot high. It was from that award that Rangers fashioned their winner.

"We didn't think there would be five minutes injury time and, at the free-kick before Rangers' goal, Craig Thomson's feet and Papac's feet were virtually the same height. But we were the ones pulled up for it and it cost us," complained Jefferies.

"Everything Steven Naismith touches is going in just now so his finish wasn't surprising. I asked the referee how he got five minutes to add on. I was thinking he added on the time for David Obua being injured and the substitutes. When I saw five minutes I thought it was just a little bit too much."

Credit is due to Rangers for sheer persistence if nothing else. They monopolised possession for a vast majority of the 90 minutes and, having taken long enough to force an equaliser, might justifiably have been content to return to Glasgow with a point.

"A team doesn't win championships without an element of pride," said Smith. "I thought Hearts defended well for the first hour. Our team has shown a determination over the last two seasons to compete in the tournaments we are in.

The constant is that the team will endeavour to do as well as they can, they have a good attitude.

"We controlled most of the game territorially and had by far the most attempts at goal. Hearts defended very well and restricted us to few clear cu t chances. We gave up a goal rather easily but it's difficult to criticise with the amount of effort the players put in to overcome that. Lafferty has an impact coming on as substitute and he's been working hard so I'm pleased he managed to get that goal. Anybody looking at our week knew it was a big week with three games in six days, two of them away at Pittodrie and Tynecastle."

Visits to Gorgie are known to be potentially hazardous and for long periods Rangers feared the worst on Saturday. Hearts' resilience was the one positive for them to take from the game, but their late collapse may well rankle for some time.

Taken from the Scotsman