Hearts 2-0 Hamilton: Call for Wallace was key to win

With the scoreline blank and his team requiring a spark to break Hamilton's resistance, Jefferies replaced Calum Elliot with Ryan Wallace in the 62nd minute. Within 60 seconds the teenage substitute initiated the move for David Obua's opening goal, thus setting the tone for a deserved Hearts victory.

Elliot's workmanlike display was no disgrace on his first start of an injury-interrupted campaign. Yet Jefferies sensed his attack needed fresh impetus. Wallace was ordered to whip off his tracksuit and within a minute he sent Ryan Stevenson galloping forward to cross for Obua's glancing header beyond Thomas Cerny. When David Templeton scored his first Hearts goal 11 minutes from time, again from Stevenson's assist, a second successive three points were secure.

"I put young Wallace on and I didn't really know what he could do," admitted Jefferies. "I heard he was quick and sharp and I felt the game needed someone to hold the ball and do that sort of thing. I shoved him on based on what I'd seen in training. I'm learning all the time who can do what.

"It was all about grinding out a result yesterday. I think we picked our performance up a bit in the second half but getting the first goal in that type of game is always crucial. Marian Kello made a great save and we went up the park and scored. From there we always had something to hold on to. Ryan Stevenson came up with two great passes to create two chances for us and we've taken advantage.

"I think we're seeing the team being a bit more positive. We had a few chances at the start of the second half and didn't hit the target, but at least we were in there."

Jefferies admitted he contemplated withdrawing Obua moments before his goal. "Obua hadn't started the second half the way I wanted and I was close to subbing him," he continued. "But he met Ryan's cross sweetly and it gave him a lift. You've got to keep him on because of his height as Hamilton are a big side. When he came up with the goal he got a lift and it was only right to keep him on after that."

Elliot cut a dejected figure in the dugout, refusing to don a tracksuit top as he betrayed his disappointment at being taken off. "It was done for his own good," said Jefferies. "He got an hour but you could see he's still got his touch to come back. The physio said not to give him much more than an hour because of the time he's been out. We didn't want the (knee] injury recurring.

"He was a bit short, which is understandable because he's been out for a long time. It's nice to know if the players aren't happy coming off. Normally I'd say they should make sure they stay on the park, but in Calum's case it was under the physio's instructions. Any longer and he might have done himself another injury and been out for another lengthy period."

There was a pre-match minute's applause to honour the late former Hearts and Hibs player Alan Gordon, after which Elliot was denied a penalty kick after colliding with Hamilton's Simon Mensing in the opening minutes. Without playing scintillating football, Hearts enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half. Marius Zaliukas wasted a free header from Suso's well-delivered corner kick but in general the opening 45 minutes was distinctly unremarkable.

On 57 minutes Hearts' clearest chance thus far arrived. Arvydas Novikovas delivered a corner from the left which Obua glanced on to the onrushing Jason Thomson. His diving header bounced narrowly wide of goal, and seconds later Hamilton were on the offensive. Marco Paixao's through pass sent brother Flavio in behind a square home defence, but the subsequent shot was not only saved but held by the impressive Kello. If that brought relief around Tynecastle, any tension was lifted six minutes later when Obua headed the opener.

Wallace controlled a ball out of defence and delivered a well-weighted pass for Stevenson striding forward on the right. He checked and dragged the ball on to his left foot before a clever clipped cross for Obua to glance home.

Just as a bout of nervousness looked to be creeping into the hosts' play during the final stages, Templeton secured the victory. Stevenson's diagonal pass confused Hamilton's Brian Easton, who wound up hoisting the ball into the air and over his goalkeeper. As it dropped near the goal line, Templeton was in place to convert his maiden top-team goal.

Hamilton did not surrender totally despite the two-goal margin, and Kello was required to produce the save of the match to repel Easton's vicious volley five minutes from time. But an air of satisfaction hung over Tynecastle at the end.

"Five goals in two games is positive, long may it continue," smiled Jefferies. "I told the players it wouldn't be like last week (against Falkirk] because Hamilton are dogged, sit in and flood the midfield. They can get the wide boys in and almost play 3-6-1. As I said, it was all about who got the first goal. Whoever got it was probably going to win the game. If they got it we'd have been under pressure from the supporters.

"It's the first time we've won by two clear goals this season, and we managed a clean sheet. (Dawid] Kucharski is getting better and Marius Zaliukas was outstanding. The goalie was also good so we are looking nice and solid. I'd have set up a different way if I had others available. It was a bit of a gamble to go with Eggert Jonsson and Ryan Stevenson in midfield because they had three in there. Maybe in two weeks' time we'll have four or five back and we can pick up results and get a good finish to the season."

Larry Kingston also returned from injury yesterday, making his first appearance since being jeered from the field by Hearts fans in December's 0-0 draw against Dundee United. "I thought he looked lively," said Jefferies. "Hopefully it's a fresh start and I said I'll know very quickly if it is. He said he wants to play for us. I said I'd give him a chance to show it. He's got to use the time between now and end of season to show he can get in favour with the fans. I'll be kicking his backside again to make sure he does it."

Stevenson enjoyed his finest outing in a maroon shirt to date, setting up both goals, but surprisingly declared himself disappointed with his overall performance level.

"It's been difficult moving up a division and getting to know the players," he said. "Coming from Ayr to Hearts, a club this size, was strange. I've been disappointed with the way I've played, even yesterday. I can do a lot better but it's going to take time for me to get used to it here."