An afternoon of torrential rain failed to dampen the
atmosphere created by the near-capacity crowd of
49,592, despite a poor turnout of visiting supporters,
as Rangers welcomed back both Mikel Arteta and Shota
Arveladze, replacing Paulo Vanoli and Nuno Capucho.
Rangers had defeated their opponents in nine
successive fixtures before today, not even having
conceded a goal in the previous eight, and almost made
an immediate impact when a Chris Burke pass found
Michael Mols whose shot flashed across the face of
goal.
Hearts quickly responded – a Kevin McKenna twenty-yard
shot being held by Stefan Klos.
The first controversial incident of the game occurred
as early as the sixth minute when Patrick Kisnorbo
held Arveladze as he moved onto a Burke pass. It was a
clear foul – and should have been a certain red card
as the Australian defender was certainly the last man,
but incredibly Referee Hugh Dallas chose to award the
foul but take no further action. Arteta’s effort from
the resultant free-kick was deflected wide.
Three minutes later Hearts rocked the Champions by
snatching the lead in a bizarre fashion when two
successive Robert Sloan corners caused chaos in the
home defence – the first finding McKenna whose header
was nodded off the line by Arveladze, the second
breaking to Andy Kirk who somehow squeezed the ball
into the net at the far post despite the presence of
Arteta on the line.
Rangers came surging back – a Mols overhead-kick in
seventeen minutes from a Fernando Ricksen cross
flashing over the bar.
The scores were level three minutes later however –
Arveladze heading home after the ball had broken to
him after visiting goalkeeper Craig Gordon had blocked
Mols’ drive after the Dutchman had been released clear
through on goal by a Ricksen pass.
The Light Blues went all out for the lead – Peter
Lovenkrands seeing his volley from a Chris Burke cross
in 23 minutes being stabbed wide of goal by Gordon’s
outstretched leg.
There remained a fragility about the Ibrox defence
however – underlined in 39 minutes when Neil
MacFarlane’s cross found the unmarked Sloan whose shot
was beaten out by Stefan Klos, then two minutes later
a Paul Hartley free-kick presented Kirk with a free
header only for it to be directed wide of goal.
Within seconds there was another controversial
incident at the other end when Mols was again dragged
back by Kisnorbo as he homed in on an Arveladze pass.
On this occasion, Dallas opted not to award a foul at
all – an incredible decision.
Rangers almost gained the lead on the half-time
whistle when a Burke cross found Arveladze whose
header was blocked by Gordon, the rebound falling to
Lovenkrands whose shot skimmed the outside of the
post.
The home pressure intensified after the interval,
Lovenkrands and Arveladze carving open the Tynecastle
defence only for Mols to see his shot blocked four
minutes in.
The lead was attained two minutes later however when
Lovenkrands freed Mols wide on the left, his cutback
finding Burke who steadied himself before turning the
ball home.
The home side went all out for the kill – Burke
embarking on a mazy run three minutes later that
released Arveladze only for the Georgian to put his
effort the wrong side of the post.
Hearts were far from finished however – Klos turning
McKenna’s header from a Kirk cross over in 57 minutes,
the signal for a prolonged spell of pressure from the
‘Jambos’ that ended when MacFarlane saw his shot
blocked.
Gordon was outstanding in the visitors goal – holding
Arteta’s 25-yard free-kick in 66 minutes, then denying
Mols from a Burke pass six minutes later.
The closing stages were nervous for the Light Blue
legions – Klos clawing a Neilson cross away from the
inrushing McKenna in 86 minutes, then saving Graham
Weir’s shot three minutes later.
McKenna had been outstanding throughout, causing
Henning Berg all sorts of problems, and in the dying
seconds he fed Kirk wide on the right, his cross
finding Robbie Neilson whose twenty-yard volley was
held by Klos.
Rangers held on for a narrow but deserved win and a
welcome three points.
RANGERS Klos; Ricksen, Malcolm, Berg, Ball; Burke,
Arteta, Hughes (Ross 57), Lovenkrands; Arveladze, Mols
(Ostenstad 74)
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Vanoli, Capucho
HEARTS Gordon; Neilson, Severin, Kisnorbo, McCann;
Sloan (Weir 77), Hartley, MacFarlane, Stamp (De Vries
82); Kirk, McKenna
UNUSED SUBS Moilanen, Simmons, Berra
REFEREE Hugh Dallas