Neil Critchley revels in Elton Kabangu's predatory instinct and says one new signing will only get better
Jambos boss pleased with all-round good day at the office
Hearts head coach Neil Critchley took great satisfaction from defeating Ross County 2-0 in the Premiership to move back into the top six and gain ground on all the teams above them who were in action on Saturday.
Goals from Elton Kabangu and substitute Jorge Grant saw off the Staggies at Tynecastle as Hearts moved above Motherwell into sixth place. The Steelmen drew 2-2 with St Mirren and with third-placed Hibs conceding a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 at Kilmarnock and Aberdeen being held 0-0 at St Johnstone, they are only five points off their capital rivals.
In what is a congested middle of the table, Hearts are a point clear of the Steelmen in seventh and have given themselves a chance of competing for the European places. There are three matches remaining before the split, with Hearts at home to Celtic in a fortnight's time before hosting Dundee United and then travelling to Fir Park.
"In the end, you'd class it as a routine home win, but we've had to fight and work really hard for it, as Ross County make you do that," said Critchley. "It's not easy when a team basically puts 11 players behind the ball on the halfway line. It's very difficult to play against. You have to be patient and you have to work for your openings, and we did that with a fantastic first goal.
"It's important to get the first goal. And then they had to go for the game, more attacking subs on, and open the game up, which you'd expect them to do. I thought the subs came on and made a real difference for us as well. In the end, we've deserved to win the game.
"All results have gone in our favour today, which is positive for us. So it's been a good day all round. Sunshine was out, fantastic pitch. We scored two goals, kept a clean sheet, and the results have gone for us. We're in a good place. We get a little bit of time to rest. Some players will play in midweek, and then we get time to rest and get ready for a really exciting challenge at Celtic in a couple of weeks' time.
Critchley was delighted with the predatory instincts of Kabangu, who took his goal tally since arriving in January to eight with a neat finish. "Elton is such a threat all the time," continued Critchley. "He keeps getting into goal scoring situations and positions. And he's been frustrated because he's missed a few recently. But his mentality is top. It doesn't let him affect him.
"He had a couple of chances in the second half. He's always on the move. And inside the penalty box, he's hard to keep quiet. You know, defenders, he's a menace. He's hard to hold. It was a really good team goal. We were asking him just to play slightly wider and hang outside the outside centre-back. And he did that.
"I'm delighted for Elton because I know recently, when he's missed a few chances, that plays on his mind. But it shouldn't do because since he's been here, he's been outstanding."
This was Hearts' first clean sheet at Tynecastle since January 2 and Critchley was satisfied with the resoluteness of his team, led by impressive centre-half Michael Steinwender, another January signing.
"I think he goes from strength to strength," Critchley said of the Austrian, "and I think he'll get better. He's only 24. He's got his best years in front of him. And when he adapts to the nature of this league, the intensity of it, because it's different from the league that he's come to, he'll improve. Again, excellent mentality. Even if there's a mistake, it doesn't affect him.
"He's always there. He's so focused. He's a really good guy to have around the place in the dressing room. If you think about the defenders that we're actually missing today, we were not available to us."
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