Hearts 2 - 1 Falkirk: Hearts cement their SPL ranking

Published on Saturday 22 November 2008 16:49

HEARTS remain third in the SPL table after recording a fourth consecutive victory over Falkirk, achieved with two outstanding goals from Bruno Aguiar and Andy Driver. The Edinburgh club had fallen behind against a spirited Falkirk team but recovered to overhaul the deficit and claim another three points.

Hearts - Aguiar (18), Driver (59)

Falkirk - Lovell (16)

Steve Lovell opened the scoring with a breakaway goal, however a stunning free-kick from Aguiar ensured the scores were level at half-time. An individual effort from Driver was sufficient to quash Falkirk's challenge in a game which lacked neither guts nor desire.

Hearts, with Ruben Palazuelos replacing the suspended Michael Stewart, began in purposeful fashion and could have moved in front after only six minutes. Lee Wallace forced his way through three Falkirk challenges, his shot was blocked, as were follow-up effort from Christian Nade and Eggert Jonsson. Moments later, Aguiar dispatched an acrobatic effort around a yard over Scott Flinders' crossbar.

John Hughes made four alterations following Falkirk's defeat of Motherwell last weekend and, initially, the changes appeared to unsettle his team. Just after the quarter-hour mark, they found rhythm as an incisive counter attack produced the opening goal. Lovell galloped on to Michael Higdon's through pass and prodded the ball low beyond the advancing Janos Balogh.

Falkirk's delirium was short-lived, however, as Aguiar restored parity two minutes later with another stupefying set-piece finish. Darren Barr impeded Nade 20 yards from goal and Aguiar expertly curled his strike into the top corner. Flinders threw a palm at the ball but was rendered helpless by its sheer power and accuracy.

Hearts' dominance continued through to the interval and into the early stages of the second half. Most apparent was their tenacity in the opposition half as visiting players often found themselves hounded out of possession by a hungry maroon pack. From Driver's 56th-minute cross, Christos Karipidis turned to send a left-footed effort inches wide of Flinders' left post.

The hosts' second was lying in wait and was delivered by Driver moments later. Arnau Riera was ultimately punished for his loose defensive pass as the winger collected the ball, meandered quickly past three opponents - Chris Mitchell, Riera and then Lee Bullen - before rounding Flinders and rolling into an empty goal. The thought arrived that, if the SFA can uncover a way to cap this player, they owe it to the nation to do so.

Hughes introduced an extra forward, Graham Barrett, hoping to source an equaliser but defensively resolute Hearts refused to comply. A dipping 35-yard shot by Mitchell was tipped for a corner by Balogh before Aguiar nodded Bullen's header off the goal line. There was also an injury-time moment of consternation when Falkirk substitute Mark Stewart headed a Mitchell cross only fractions of an inch off target.