Stout Hearts capitalise on McLeish's indecision

Heart Of Midlothian 1 Rangers

True, nothing is settled in September. The managers, George Burley and Alex McLeish, both made the point again in the wake of Hearts' eighth consecutive Scottish Premier League win. Burley even conceded that he was starting to "sound like a stuck gramophone" in repeating that a third-place finish would be a "tremendous achievement".

But the gap between the leaders and reigning champions is now 11 points. Hearts will take a huge psychological boost from this victory. They had won only once in their previous 27 League meetings with Rangers.

The grim prognosis for McLeish is that he does not know his best team, let alone how to line them up effectively, and remains baffled about why they are faltering so badly. While Hearts have made their best start for 91 years to be five points clear of Celtic, McLeish's men have won seven points in their last six games.

There is no case for the defence. In eight SPL games, McLeish has used nine players at the back in seven different combinations. On Saturday, he gave the clearest sign of being rattled by Hearts' attacking potential by starting with three centre-backs plus wing-backs.

The experiment was in disarray when Roman Bednar, still unmarked, flashed a header from a corner for the goal, and before half-time McLeish's game-plan was ditched.

An injury to Nacho Novo and the tactical rejig caused McLeish to use two substitutes before the break, while injuries to Bednar and his team-mate Takis Fyssas forced Burley to do likewise.

The result? A high-tempo, absorbing, incident-packed contest, albeit low on aesthetics, remained compelling not as an exercise in fluidity but as a test of character. Hearts had the heart, their superb Scot-heavy defensive unit holding firm. And though their top scorer, the left-winger Rudi Skacel, was less thrillingly effervescent later on, he did enough in the key early stages to give his side the momentum.

Rangers, in contrast, finished with four strikers but no width, little imagination and only Dado Prso's utter commitment and stamina as compelling evidence of a 90-minute will to win. They also had two penalty shouts to Hearts' one. None were given.

Next up for Rangers is a crucial Champions' League game against Internazionale on Wednesday. The intriguing twist is that the San Siro in Milan will be empty. Crowd trouble in last season's competition means Inter have to play four games behind closed doors.

McLeish said he was still "looking for a bit of spark" from his players but added: "I have no doubts they will be ready for the Inter game."

Given the contrary nature of Rangers this season - important wins against Celtic and Porto offset by defeats to Aberdeen, Hibs and now Hearts - it would not be out of keeping if they came back from Italy with something to show for the journey.

Recent displays say it is unlikely. Even Rangers' Dutch mainstay, Fernando Ricksen, admitted his side have a lack of "balance, shape and form, as a team and as individuals."

Hearts lack strength in depth, but, so far, little else. Much more of this and it is they who will crowing "Champions' League."

Goal: Bednar (14) 1-0.

Heart of Midlothian (4-1-3-2): Gordon; Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Fyssas (McAllister, 32); Brellier; Camazzola (Wallace, 85), Hartley, Skacel; Bednar (Simmons, 27), Jankauskas. Substitutes not used: Banks (gk), Cesnauskis, Berra, Elliot.

Rangers (3-5-2): Waterreus; Andrews, Rodriguez (Buffel, 36), Kyrgiakos; Namouchi (Nieto, 74), Ricksen, Murray, Ferguson, Bernard; Novo (Jeffers,20), Prso. Substitutes not used: Klos (gk), Lowing, McCormack, Pierre-Fanfan.

Referee: K Clark.

Booked: Hearts Camazzola, Jankauskas; Rangers Ricksen, Ferguson.

Man of the match: Skacel.

Attendance: 17,379.