Hearts more than match gutsy dons

Kyle's header from Calum Elliot's cross seconds after the restart produced a goal straight from the Scotland striker's textbook. Diving to make a powerful connection on the ball, he was executing an act of personal revenge on Aberdeen and Diamond in particular, whom he believes was guilty of cheating in the first half.

More of that later. Firstly, it is worth focusing on the organisation and will of a Hearts team with captain Marius Zaliukas once again at its hub. A fairly even first period preceeded Kyle's goal, and thereafter the Tynecastle players might have been expected to retreat into their shell. But, although there was plenty defensive resolve with Zaliukas and Ismael Bouzid at the centre of it, Hearts balanced it with some incisive counter-attacks which might even have produced a second goal.

All in all it was exactly the kind of display necessary to prise three points from Pittodrie. In the process, the result consigned Aberdeen to an uncomfortable record of only one league point from the last available 18.

Zaliukas is close to agreeing a new contract with the Hearts hierarchy and marshalled his defence well. Aberdeen probed regularly but could not fashion a way through. Despite enjoying a fair amount of possession, particularly after Kyle scored, they lacked the creative influence to properly unlock the opposition.

By contrast, Suso was in exhilarating form at the opposite end and tormented Andrew Considine for much of the afternoon. His wizardry complemented the physical presence of Kyle, and both were decisive factors in the outcome of this encounter. "Aberdeen had a few players back so we knew it was a big game for them," opined Jefferies. "There was very little in it in the first half, then we got the goal and were unlucky not to go on and get two or three. It was a right good solid team performance. No doubt Marius Zaliukas coming in means Ismael Bouzid is more comfrotable in defence. For anybody playing left-back, it's better when Marius is playing because he drops off. We got a clean sheet and we've been struggling with Lee Wallace and Marius out. Marius being available meant we looked solid in a 4-4-2 formation."

On the issue of Zaliukas' contract, Jefferies added: "It's not done and dusted but there's been a lot of progress. Verbally we're nearly there. Saturday was an encouraging sign that crossing Ts and dotting Is will be done. It's important for us. I said the green light (for Zaliukas to play again] would be when he was close to agreeing. We're trying to make him a Hearts player long-term. We had encouraging signs when John Colquhoun (the agent representing Zaliukas] phoned me to say we're very close. One of the things to rubber stamp it was to get him available and play."

It was barely detectable from Zaliukas' performance that this was his first competitive outing since August 21 at Hamilton. Along with Kyle and Suso, he was one of Hearts' standouts.

For Aberdeen, though, there must be growing concern. McGhee attempted to accentuate positives in the aftermath of the match but inwardly the recent sequence of results will be gnawing away at the manager. He had Paul Hartley influencing midfield in the first half but the former Hearts midfielder was nullified after the interval.

"I think we did enough for a point but it was going to be a game where one goal decided it," said McGhee. "It was a poor goal to lose, Zander got underneath it and it ended up in the net. We allowed the cross to come in and didn't deal with it.

"I was excited having a few boys back from injury and having Andrius Velicka available. Our season hasn't started yet but there is enough time left to benefit and we will improve from here.

"I'm very optimistic about the potential of this team to do well this season. Velicka looked most like he needed games. The quickest way to get him fit is to play him. It might take him six or ten games but he's going to play."

Velicka in truth looked anonymous throughout, whereas Kyle succeeded in ruffling more than a few feathers. After one collision with Diamond in the first half, the Hearts striker took exception to his opponent's reaction.

"We went for a long ball, I came across him and won the header. He screamed like a big baby trying to get me sent off," said Kyle. "Then, in a matter of seconds, he's up. I get kicked from pillar to post every week and I get on with it. Well, Zander Diamond tried to get me sent off which made me angry.

"I said to him, 'do you want me to make you properly scream and shout?'. If I get a red card it's no good for the club if I'm out for three or four games. I was just aggressive and if they can't handle that don't play football.

"Some weeks you go for challenges but when players are rolling about play-acting it looks worse than it is. Zander Diamond was up after ten seconds of screaming and shouting like a baby. He's always like that, it's not the first time. I try and ignore it but on Saturday it really upset me because I could easily have got a red card.

"The best way to keep people like that quiet is to put the ball in the back of the net. I'm the one who went away happy as larry. A couple of more bookings and I'm going to miss three games but it's difficult when you're so wound up. We came up to win the game, played very well and I was the one to get the goal. It was a right good performance and three deserved points."

Kyle's aerial challenge injured Mark Howard, the Aberdeen goalkeeper, late in the first half and he had to be substituted early in the second period as he struggled to see out of one eye. McGhee said he had no qualm with any of the Hearts players but was perplexed that referee Mike Tumilty chose to order his assistant, Scott Leitch, to the stand in the second half.

"Scott Leitch deserves to get sent off every week except this week. It's the quietest I've heard him and he gets sent to the stand.

"I thought there was a good rapport between the two benches and with the fourth official. He took exception to something that was said, it must have been fairly bad.

"I've let Scott off the leash to be honest. He's a young coach full of enthusiasm and ambition and sometimes he works and coaches the way he played: aggressive and animated. Sometimes it spills over, I speak to him often about it but I do have to allow his character to come through."

Taken from the Scotsman