Going to East End Park has been a less-than-pleasant experience for Hearts supporters in recent seasons. Performances there from the men in maroon have been of such a poor standard that the pre-match ?entertainment? that is Dunfermline?s mascot ?Sammy The Tammy? really has been the highlight of the afternoon in some cases!
?Ah but it?s cos of the plastic pitch? whinged fans and former managers alike.
?We didn?t risk our best players today ahead of the European tie next week? was another excuse we were used to hearing.
Hearts had no such excuses going into yesterday?s match against Jim Leishman?s struggling side. Gone is the much-maligned plastic pitch and with sadly no European football this season the sole focus was coming away with the three points badly needed to keep the pressure on Celtic at the top of the league.
Dunfermline have struggled all season. They came into this game on the back of a morale-sapping Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Airdrie United, who scored two late goals last week to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory in Fife. According to many Pars fans this is a team that is heading one way and one way only ? down to the First Division! However any good performances they?ve had this season have been against the better sides: a 1-0 win at Parkhead and a 3-0 hammering of Hibs in the League Cup stand out ? I was also going to mention a 2-2 home draw with Rangers until I realised that anything less than a win against that lot these days is considered a failure!. But the bottom line is this team are capable of mixing it with the best, so this would be a tough fixture for Hearts if complacency set in.
The match started uncomfortably. The huge bloke on my left took a bite out of a pie that literally exploded with grease??.just as the nausea was dying down, the Pars? beanpole centre-back Andy Tod powered a header just over the bar and this had ?long afternoon? written all over it!
Hearts very quickly took a firm grip on proceedings, however. The front two of Elliot and Pospisil (in for the injured Jankauskas) were pulling the Pars defence all over the place and Mikoliunas on the right wing looked in the mood. Hartley blasted over when given a clear sight of goal and Skacel had two net-bound volleys well blocked by McGregor. But Dunfermline had a great chance after Gordon?s fumble on the edge of the box gave former Jambo Mark Burchill a shooting chance, the keeper bravely recovering to block the shot with his chest.
The visitors forced several corners and were camped in the Fifers? half so it was no surprise when they took the lead on the half-hour mark, Steven Pressley deflecting Elliot?s seemingly net-bound shot in off the bar to make it three goals in as many games for the captain. Hearts kept pressing and finished the half strongly, although the Pars fans were making their feelings known to referee Mackay about some of the free-kicks he was awarding, particularly for fouls on Skacel who was finding it difficult staying on his feet it must be conceded!
Despite playing well in the first half and fully meriting their 1-0 lead, Hearts had still not been playing the football of which they are capable. However they came out with all guns blazing in the second half and Pospisil soon had them 2-0 up with a fine finish after great lead-up play from Mikoliunas and Neilson down the right.
Dunfermline had rarely been in the game but after Pressley gave away a silly free-kick (and was booked for his trouble), the resulting cross found Burchill unmarked and he fired past Gordon, who appeared to stumble just before which essentially gave the Pars striker an open goal to shoot at. The home side then had a ten minute spell in the ascendancy and fired ball after ball into the Hearts penalty area?..they had the ball in the net again but this was disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
It was at this stage that referee Mackay decided to do his best to spoil the match by all of a sudden reversing everything that he?d done well in the first half. Refusing to let the game flow, speaking to players committing fouls but not others who did the same and a series of baffling decisions frustrated everyone in the stadium ? what is it about these guys and second halves? We end up leaving games talking about referees all the time – a good ref is an anonymous one and it?s a shame we don?t appear to have any of those in the Scottish game.
Hearts were soon back in control and Pospisil scored his second with a fine looping header from a Hartley free-kick, although Leishman will rightly wonder who was meant to be marking him. The visitors were really turning on the style now against the tiring home side and the majestic Julian Brellier burst through the centre of the Pars defence to set up Rudi Skacel for the fourth, a goal that had the home fans leaving in their droves.
After some outrageous show-boating from Fyssas, Hartley and Skacel, the latter dinked a cheeky toe-poke from the corner flag area that flew over McGregor and crashed back off the inside of the post. I?m not sure if Skacel meant to go for goal but it had several Jambos foaming at the mouth!
All in all a very fine performance from Hearts, probably their best away win of the season. I?m especially pleased for Graham Rix who is hopefully now starting to settle down in the job and has the players really grafting for him.
Player Ratings
Gordon 6
Pretty much a spectator, although did recover well from a fumble in first half to save from Burchill. Appeared to slip at Dunfermline goal.
Neilson 7
Good attacking performance from Robbie and did especially well in setting up the second goal. Not under too much pressure defensively.
Fyssas 7
Very solid and cut out the slackness of recent weeks. When he sticks to the simple stuff he?s a top player.
Pressley 7
Scored again and won most of his aerial balls which makes a nice change! Got himself deservedly booked for the sort of challenge he commits too often, but his influence will definitely be missed at Killie next week.
Webster 7
Strolled through the game and was rarely troubled.
Mikoliunas 7
Had a very lively first half where he gave the Pars full-back a torrid time and linked well with the strikers. Tired in second half and taken off, but a good performance.
Hartley 8
Bundle of energy from start to finish and at the heart of anything positive from Hearts. It?s probably true that when he plays well so do Hearts.
Brellier 9
Absolutely outstanding. This guy is fast becoming the complete midfield player ? wins tackle after tackle and is just a rock in the middle of the park. Brilliantly set up the fourth goal and was rightly hailed in the away stand.
Skacel 8
Typical Rudi performance: out of the game for long spells but when he?s in he can be breathtaking. Some lovely touches, especially in second half and scored a brilliant fourth goal. Amazing shot off post at the end??not sure if it was meant though!
Elliot 7
Another encouraging performance ? has really come on since scoring against Falkirk on Boxing Day. Held the ball up superbly and linked well with Pospisil.
Pospisil 8
I?d like to see him given an extended run because there?s no doubt he can score goals. Looked lively throughout and was good to hear his name chanted from the stands.
