Marian Kello saves day for lifeless Hearts

Yes, there was a poor pitch to contend with that was far from conducive to the style of play Jim Jefferies' side have been cultivating but this was the chance for Hearts to get their reward for an impressive few months. They could have leapfrogged Rangers but they didn't even look up for it in the first half. Technically, it may have been tough but there was no excuse for the lack of competitive spirit.

Jefferies described it as having too many passengers and he had a few choice words for his players at half-time. Accordingly Hearts were slightly more switched on in the second half but it was still a shadow of the performances which had helped them accumulate a points tally which left them primed to usurp Rangers in second place. That was their motivation but against a team which ensured they were second to every ball and outcontested them in virtually every department, they passed up the opportunity.

"There is still a long way until the end of season," warned captain Marius Zaliukas. "Most important was not to lose and give any of the teams behind us even a sniff at a chance or thinking they can catch us."

Acknowledging that the surface made it difficult to produce silky football it was the poor workrate off the ball as much as their ineffectiveness on it that infuriated the Gorgie boss. But Aberdeen managed to produce a combination of both. Albeit that Hearts failure to press the ball allowed them the extra time they needed to bring it under control.

"It is tough," admitted Aberdeen's Sone Aluko, who still seemed to cope better in the circumstances than his Hearts counterparts, "and it takes a couple, maybe even three or four touches to control the ball while you are still trying to fight off a defender but you play to the conditions. One touch football is almost impossible but both teams are on it."

He stressed that Pittodrie is not the only pitch in a pitiful state at the moment but conceded that it was "better the devil you know".

He could have given Aberdeen the lead in just the second minute when he flighted in a shot which would have beaten most goalkeepers. But thankfully for Hearts, one man was up for the game.

Marian Kello has been in consistent form, with his manager stating that he is up there with the very best in the league and his team-mates are well aware of what he brings to the side. There have been 12 cleans sheets and against Aberdeen that was purely down to his class saves, particularly the two which bookended this match.

With Paul Hartley epitomising the extra desire in the Aberdeen ranks, he came out best in a 50-50 challenge with Craig Thomson, the ball breaking to Aluko and the little wing man flighted in a shot which was dipping under the crossbar until Kello got to it.

At that stage the home side already had the tighter grip on the game. Across the midfield they stifled the creativity in Hearts ranks while also making the most of the adventure in their own side. Aluko and Ryan Jack were key in the opening stages while the left-sided assualt was more obvious as the play settled down, with Rob Milsom and Chris Maguire lively. At the heart of them all was Hartley, pulling strings, keeping tabs on Rudi Skacel and generally repaying Brown for reinstalling him in the starting line-up.

Behind them was the gutsy Rory McArdle. While Hearts lost their centre-back Andy Webster to a tweaked groin in the 29th minute, the Aberdeen youngster was resolute. A clash with Skacel in the 12th minute left the centre back with a gash above his nose, but five stitches and a number of bandage changes did not dilute his determination or input. Within minutes of coming back on after treatment he was in the Hearts box attacking a header, which Kello again did well to save.

At the start of the second half Hearts had a mini revival and conjured up their best attempts at goal. Steven Elliott and Andy Driver combined to play in Skacel for a good shot at goal but Jamie Langfield pushed it away for a corner. There weren't too many concrete chances at either end after that, not until the match was into time added on. That's when Nick Blackman unleashed a shot which looked to have won it. But then Kello popped up. It was a top notch save and gave his side a share of the points.

Man of the match

Marian Kello (Hearts)

Another quality display by the Tynecastle goalkeeper, who produced the saves needed to secure his side a point.

Referee: M Tumilty

Attendance: 9,100

Taken from the Scotsman