Roller-coaster ride for Levein after repeat of great escape

MANY more afternoons like Saturday at Rugby Park and Hearts boss Craig Levein could well be requiring medication to keep his blood pressure in check.

The Jambos chief was forced to endure an emotional roller-coaster for 90 minutes in Ayrshire as his players scaled the heights and plumbed the depths in equal measure against hosts Kilmarnock.

It may not have been for the purist but the entertainment value for the 7000-plus supporters was unbeatable as the Gorgie outfit worked their way into a winning position by half-time, found themselves 3-1 behind within 20 minutes of the restart then launched an amazing fightback to score twice in the closing stages to salvage a vital point.

The draw stretched Hearts’ winless sequence to six matches, but as in the recent clash with Dunfermline when Stephane Adam struck an equaliser in stoppage time at East End Park, it was his team’s refusal to give up - even when staring defeat in the face - that delighted Levein.

"At 3-1 down with just a few minutes left the game looked like it had gone away from us," he said. "But I can’t praise the players highly enough for grasping the opportunity.

"Having said that, I don’t know how we can be brilliant and awful in the same game, but we managed that against Kilmarnock.

"We did so many good things but also so many terrible things, too."

The commendable fighting spirit will surely be a huge asset for Hearts in the battle for a top-six berth when the league splits after another four games.

Few points separate the teams jockeying for position in the middle of the table and for that reason Tommi Gronlund’s 85th-minute equaliser could well turn out to be one of the most important goals of the season.

The Finn, dropped to the bench having looked jaded in recent weeks, isn’t renowned for his shooting skills but the substitute sent the visiting fans home happy when he picked up a loose ball some 20 yards from goal and blasted a looping effort over Gordon Marshall.

It capped a memorable fightback and ensured Hearts at least took something from an enthralling contest to which they had contributed greatly.

Despite being without the guile of Steve Fulton and the attacking threat of the suspended Ricardo Fuller, things had started so well for Levein’s side.

Stephane Mahe smashed home his first goal for the club in the first half, the Frenchman controlling a superb cross-field pass from Alan Maybury in the box before beating Marshall at his near post with a strike which the Jamaican star would have been proud of.

But no sooner had the teams turned round than the defensive frailties which have troubled Hearts at regular intervals this season struck again.

Levein had sent his players out with the instruction to keep things tight at the back, yet before he had made it up the touchline to the dugout area, Killie had levelled the scores.

Ally Mitchell sent in a cross from the left and Craig Dargo nipped in front of Andy Webster to knock the ball home.

Five minutes later and Hearts were behind, Tommy Johnson firing home from inside the box.

"It was criminal of us to let them back into the game so soon after half-time," said Levein. "We fell asleep and it allowed them to get their tails up."

The introduction of Gronlund and teenage winger Paul McMullan for Webster and Adam made a big difference for the Jambos, although no sooner had the pair entered the fray than Steven Murray’s deep cross had drifted over Antti Niemi’s head and into the far corner of the net to increase the home side’s advantage.

However, with Gronlund making his presence felt in midfield and McMullan not frightened to take defenders on down the left, the visitors suddenly began to look threatening as the game progressed.

And with Graham Weir always in the thick of the action after replacing Gary Wales up front - the pint-sized striker was partnered by Kevin McKenna as Levein threw caution to the wind - Hearts refused to buckle.

As the minutes ticked by, though, it appeared their efforts would be to no avail.

Until, that is, Marshall sent Weir tumbling in the box in the 82nd minute to hand the Capital side a lifeline. Wales had been earmarked for spot-kick duty but with him off the field, captain Steven Pressley bravely shouldered the responsibility and converted with a text-book finish.

Marshall, in fact, was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card for blasting the ball away afterwards, the keeper having been cautioned for the challenge on Weir which lead to the award.

"It was a brave move by Elvis to take control in that situation," said Levein. "I actually thought that Kevin McKenna was going to take it but ‘oh no’ soon became ‘oh yes’!

"It went in and that’s all that matters. It gave us the opportunity to take something from the game."

That set the scene for a rousing finale and the travelling support behind Marshall’s goal were dancing with delight just three minutes later as Gronlund made his dramatic intervention.

Kilmarnock were on the ropes at this stage but Hearts were unable to force what would have been a remarkable victory.

"It was a real roller-coaster for everybody," said Levein, "and in the circumstances it turned out to be a very good point for us. I thought the young boys and Tommi Gronlund did very well after they came on and gave us the urgency which unsettled Kilmarnock.

"We eventually realised that the game was there for getting back into and I was delighted with the effort they showed."

The mood in the home dressing-room could not have been more different, Killie front man Dargo angry at seeing victory denied in such circumstances.

"I felt we were home and dry," he said. "I honestly believed we were there but we gave them a chance and they took it. I didn’t get a good view of the penalty incident but credit to Hearts for battling right to the end."

Defeat at the weekend would have left the Jambos trailing Killie by five points and dealt a major blow to their hopes of finishing in the top half of the table.

However, it remains all to play for on that front and the players deserve immense credit for another gutsy fightback.

If the recent draw with Dunfermline had felt like a victory for Hearts then it can only be imagined what Saturday’s great escape will have done for the mood in the Tynecastle camp.

Taken from the Scotsman