Rudi Skacel at double as Hearts dump Dons

By BARRY ANDERSON
Published on Monday 2 April 2012 11:46

RUDI Skacel’s deployment as a forward is reaping huge dividends for Hearts. A midfielder by trade, he has now scored four goals in four games partnering Craig Beattie in attack. The role seems to suit the 32-year-old perfectly as the twilight years of his career loom.

Two sublime strikes from Skacel supplemented Ryan McGowan’s opener to secure a 3-0 victory over Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Saturday. The result finalised Hearts’ place in the top six of the Scottish Premier League, which splits in two after this coming weekend. It was down, in no small measure, to the impact made by Skacel in the forward line.

The Czech failed to score at all during a barren two months between mid-January and mid-March. Some questioned his work rate and industry off the ball because of his veteran status. His finishing ability was never in doubt, however. Paulo Sergio, the Hearts manager, likes midfielders to graft and harry opponents, traits that have never been amongst Skacel’s strengths. So he shunted him up front.

Selecting Skacel and Beattie in attack pairs Hearts’ two most potent threats together. McGowan’s downward header from Danny Grainger’s corner set the tone for a steady home display against an Aberdeen side carrying virtually no attacking threat of their own.

Then Skacel added some individual brilliance in the second half. His raking 25-yarder put Hearts 2-0 ahead before a mesmerising piece of ball control saw him swivel to convert the third inside the penalty box in the final minute.

Having uncovered an ideal role from which to maximise Skacel’s scoring prowess, Sergio is understandably eager to keep the player at Tynecastle beyond the expiry of his contract this summer. “It’s important for Rudi and the others,” said the Portuguese. “When we are talking about these situations, what we know is that we have to cut costs but that doesn’t mean Rudi can’t keep playing for Hearts. In the right moment, we will look at this. Everybody wants to have Rudi Skacel in their team.

“Rudi’s first was a great goal. But all of us are used to seeing that from him. I would prefer to speak about his first touch for his second goal. It was a world-class touch, only an amazing footballer can do this. He was facing away from goal when he did this and still managed to score.”

It wasn’t only Skacel who enjoyed a memorable afternoon. Denis Prychynenko, the 20-year-old Ukrainian midfielder, made a senior Hearts debut in the dying seconds of this game. He is the latest Riccarton academy pupil to graduate to the first-team squad. Sergio is ready to give a number of youngsters opportunities at East End Park this Saturday.

“If I can finish fifth, I don’t want to finish sixth. We will fight in every single game,” he said when asked about the prospect of qualifying for Europe. “Saturday’s result was better than the performance. We’ve played much better than this but credit to Aberdeen. It was good to score earlier but I didn’t like the game before then. Aberdeen had too much of the ball so we changed our tactical positions.

“They had more of the ball so I said to the players at half-time that we have the result so we must try to kill the game. Tactically it was a good game, I am proud of my players.

“They fought for each other to keep a clean sheet for Jamie MacDonald.”

Recent history suggests that was almost a formality. Aberdeen’s woeful goalscoring record against Hearts in over two years shows no sign of ending. Since January 2010, they have faced the Edinburgh club seven times and conceded 13 goals with none in reply. They started this match with Scott Vernon playing as a lone striker with precious little support.

As the first half progressed Hearts’ confidence grew and, on 27 minutes, McGowan headed Grainger’s back-post corner downwards and into the roof of the Aberdeen net for his second senior goal. The hosts looked reasonably comfortable and McGowan was particularly impressive. Aside from his goal, he rampaged up and down the right flank with authority and used the ball well in possession.

The Australian’s command of his beat continued after the interval. Indeed, it was from his pass that Skacel lashed the second goal which effectively decided the outcome of this fixture. The Czech collected the ball midway inside the Aberdeen half and strode forward before driving an unstoppable ball high into the net from 25 yards. Allowed space, he rarely fails to capitalise.

Hearts appealed for a penalty in the 74th minute when Skacel’s first-time shot following substitute Suso’s run and cross appeared to strike the arm of Andrew Considine, the Aberdeen captain. Referee Willie Collum ignored the claims.

Considine thwarted Skacel again minutes later, this time following a move down the left involving a sublime turn by Beattie. But the Czech was not to be undone. His persistency paid off with one minute of regulation time remaining. Vernon wasted substitute Stephen Hughes’ free-kick seconds earlier by shooting high into the stand – leaving the visitors with no efforts on target from the entire 90 minutes. Skacel’s encore arrived when Darren Barr returned a clearance into the Aberdeen penalty area and the Czech’s sublime first touch took him clear of another sub, Russell Anderson, playing for Aberdeen for the first time since 2007, before a pristine finish into the bottom corner.

“It wasn’t a 3-0 game,” argued the visiting manager, Craig Brown. “Our goalie hasn’t had a save in the game yet he’s lost three goals. At 2-0 Vernon had the chance of the game to make it 2-1. Then we’d have a grandstand finish. You need to attribute Hearts’ success to the brilliance of Skacel. He scored two great goals. His individual brilliance was what changed the game and great credit to him.

“The game was even to me, I was waiting on Jason Brown to make a save. But every time Hearts had a chance they scored. I’d like to think it’s taking wonder goals to beat us but the third one makes it look a terrible scoreline.”

Taken from the Scotsman