Accies' siege mentality no match for strong Hearts

In what was an easy defeat of the SPL's bottom club, Hearts also had room on their bench for Ismael Bouzid, who was supposed to be interesting one or two big clubs just a few weeks back. Strolling about in the defender's place was Andy Webster, back at the club for a second spell, and showing no signs on his debut of the rustiness he was expected to have after a season on the sidelines with Rangers.

Add to that the two goals by Stephen Elliott - so often used wide on the right, but still possessed of a scorer's instinct - and there is no mistaking the resourcefulness with which Jim Jefferies has gone about his work this season. These three points were secured despite a striking crisis that denied them Kevin Kyle, Calum Elliot and David Obua. Ryan Stevenson was meant to be the makeshift solution, but a late bout of flu put paid to that.

Hearts would be quite a team if everyone was fit. Jefferies will find out today how Kyle, struggling with a groin problem, has reacted to an injection. Driver looks like he could lose a few pounds, but there is light at the end of what has been a long, dark tunnel for the injured winger. "He's a quality player, and there will come a time when he goes out there, has 15-20 minutes, and you can see that he is back to his best," said Jefferies. "Then he'll be ready for a start."

By that time, Hearts are likely to have secured the third place that was their target at the start of the season. With fourth-placed Kilmarnock now 15 points behind, Jefferies knows that his team are almost there.

If and when the formality is completed, maybe then they can indulge us with talk of separating the Old Firm. "Fifteen points?" he said. "It's a big gap you know. We have been talking about that. Just get the third place confirmed, and let's see where we are. Then, if we've got a chance (of finishing second], we can go and enjoy it because we will know that we can't go any lower. There will be no pressure on us."

Not that many of their remaining games are likely to be as comfortable as this. Hamilton made no attempt to win the three points, even when Elliott nipped ahead of his marker to head in a cross by Lee Wallace.

Only when the same player turned in a header by Marius Zaliukas shortly after the interval did the home side show any sign of adventure, but by then it was too late.

Hamilton's lack of ambition reflected their increasingly desperate predicament. With only two league wins all season, none at home, they set out to frustrate Hearts with banks of five and four behind the ball, even when they went a goal down. Surprised by the amount of possession his players were being granted, Jefferies described it as a "strange situation", the like of which he had not experienced before in the SPL.

Hamilton appear to be edging ever closer to relegation. They are now five points adrift of second-bottom St Mirren, and eight behind Hibs, who seem to be emerging from a crisis of their own.

The only hope for Reid is that he can emulate what Colin Calderwood has done lately. "A couple of weeks ago, we were two points behind Hibs, but they have won two in a row, and now they are eight ahead," said the Hamilton defender, Martin Canning. "It can all change with a couple of wins so we have to take positives from that."

Hamilton have been in this movie before, but the quality of player at Reid's disposal is not what it used to be, and his attempts to rectify the situation have only brought instability. "Over the last couple of seasons, we have had a settled group of boys that had been here a long time, and it was only a matter of time before we started winning," said Canning. "When you have a lot of new boys, it takes time for them to settle. We just have to keep plugging away."

Taken from the Scotsman