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<-Page <-Team Wed 10 Apr 1996 Hearts 2 Rangers 0 Team-> Page->
<-Srce <-Type Observer ------ Report Type-> Srce->
Jim Jefferies <-auth None auth-> Hugh Dallas
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1 of 002 Neil Pointon 34 ;Allan Johnston 84 L Premier H

Rivals take heart as leaders Rangers stumble to defeat Scottish


Premier Division: Heart of Midlothian 2, Rangers 0

The Guardian (Manchester); Apr 11, 1996; PATRICK GLENN

RANGERS' defeat at Tynecastle last night saw their lead cut to four points
with Celtic drawing at home to Kilmarnock, and it would have boosted Hearts'
confidence for next month's Hampden Park showdown against the champions in the
Scottish Cup final.



While Neil Pointon and Allan Johnston saw Hearts, impressive 3
0 winners at Ibrox in January, to victory over Rangers, Pierre van Hooydonk
rescued Celtic from defeat at Parkhead with a late equaliser after Jim
McIntyre had put Kilmarnock ahead on the stroke of half-time.


Pointon's goal was all the more stunning because Rangers had just been denied
by an impressive piece of defending from Ritchie.


Steven, starting a match for the first time since last August, released
Laudrup on the left with a magnificent pass.

The Dane then crossed towards
McCoist inside the six-yard box, but Ritchie, alert and quick, intercepted to
concede a corner.



Just afterwards at the other end Mackay's pass was dummied by Cameron, making
his Hearts debut after signing from Raith Rovers, to Pointon and the
Englishman sent a left-foot chip high to Goram's left from 20 yards.


Even before the goal, however, Hearts had demonstrated a willingness to take
the game to their opponents, with Johnston, Cameron and Robertson all
producing some menace for Gough, back at the heart of Rangers' defence after a
five-match absence through injury.



Hearts frequently looked the more relaxed of the two sides, befitting a team
for whom the championship is an irrelevance.

They almost extended their lead
when Gough's clearance rebounded from Robertson to Johnston, but the winger
pulled his shot from the right wide of the far post.


An unusually panicky McCoist also missed a good opportunity for the equaliser
when Laudrup played the ball through to the edge of the area.

McCoist turned
clear, but rushed an untidy shot well wide.

He was booked shortly afterwards
for a foul on Ritchie.



Johnston's magnificent second goal, when he rounded Goram and shot into an
empty net from Fulton's through pass, was merely confirmation of Hearts'
superiority on another stirring night for them.


Hearts: Rousset; McManus, Ritchie, Mackay, McPherson, Bruno, Johnston,
Cameron, Robertson (Thomas, 76min), Fulton, Pointon (Colquhoun, 85).


Rangers: Goram; Cleland (Durie, 62), Robertson, Gough, McLaren, Petric
(Brown, 82), Steven (Ferguson, 82), Gascoigne, McCoist, McCall, Laudrup.


Referee: H Dallas (Motherwell).
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