Maroon memories: New pin-up boy Jensen stars on small screen as Hearts ground out victory

ROALD JENSEN had taken only two games to establish himself as the new pin-up boy at Tynecastle as his goal- making moves endeared him to the supporters as a stodgy Hearts laboured towards a 3-1 victory over Third Lanark.

Jensen picked the right day to shine because Norwegian TV had sent a film unit to the match and Jensen was featured in a sports programme which he had been able to see, having flown home so that he could be with his family to celebrate his 22nd birthday.

While the film showed the little Norwegian in a good light, it wasn't much of an advertisement for Scottish football since this was one of the poorest offerings this season.

Perhaps Third Lanark drew Hearts down to their own relegation level, but whatever the explanation, the championship-chasers had a hard job beating the team with the worst record in the League. Lowly-placed teams usually offer stubborn resistance until losing a goal and then often go to pieces and Third's defence wasn't exactly composed after Alan Gordon headed through a Jensen centre, but Hearts were completely off-form and could not take advantage of a panicky back division.

Willie Wallace (penalty) and Tommy White had a goal apiece, yet they were not the goal-hungry forwards of recent history, with right-half Willie Polland going through a phase when little was coming off for him.

Both Chris Shevlane and Davie Holt acquitted themselves well at full-back, and Jim Cruickshank had excellent saves from Jackson and Murray at crucial moments.

Of course, the important factor was that while Hearts had collected two points, Hibs, Kilmarnock and Dunfermline had faltered.

Third Lanark did not look as bad in the first 20 minutes as their position in the table suggested. They passed more accurately than Hearts and forced a number of corners.

But in the end, goalkeeper Evan Williams had made a couple of notable saves to keep them in the picture. Geddes and Baillie had performed stoutly in the midfield, and Kilgannon, who had scored a goal against his former colleagues, shaped cleverly at times.

Altogether, it had been a game in which Jensen provided the skilful touches, and his guile certainly came in handy.