Hearts 4 Paksi 1 (Hearts win 5-2 on agg)

Aug 5 2011 Scott McDermott

HEARTS' new coach could be set for an exciting Euro trip - with a top-class Driver leading the way.

Paulo Sergio passed his first test as boss with a convincing win over Paksi at Tynecastle that keeps them on course for the Europa League group stages.

Ryan Stevenson set them on the road to victory with a first-half double before comeback star Andy Driver sealed it with his first goal since the 2-1 derby win over Hibs on March 20, 2010.

Fans' favourite Rudi Skacel made it a journey from hell for the Hungarian minnows by slotting home a fourth near the end.

The 5-2 aggregate win booked the Jambos a place in today's draw for the play-offs alongside SPL rivals Rangers and Celtic.

And Sergio, who only replaced club legend Jim Jefferies as gaffer on Monday, must reckon his new team are capable of qualifying after seeing off Paksi with ease.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg the pressure was on the Portuguese boss to deliver on his Gorgie dug-out debut and he'll be delighted with the response he got on and off the pitch.

The night was made even better for the Edinburgh club with the return of wide man Driver, who produced a sublime finish for his goal, and could be a key man for Sergio - and Scotland manager Craig Levein - in the months ahead.

The former Sporting Lisbon manager was adamant he wouldn't radically change the tactics used by Jefferies against the Hungarians - but he did spring a few surprises with his team selection.

The big news before kick-off was that injury-plagued Driver would start on the wing for the first time since May 15, when he lasted just 21 minutes before being carried off.

Driver played in a bounce game in front of Sergio against Dunfermline on Tuesday and clearly proved his fitness to merit a shock inclusion.

There was no place for Ugandan star David Obua, who wasn't even on the bench, while summer signing John Sutton was also dropped from the side that lost to Dundee United on Sunday.

Jamie Hamill was expected to feature after scoring the Jambos' away goal against Paksi a week ago at the Sostoi Stadium but he too was left out.

The club's owner, Vladimir Romanov, watched from the stand as a suited Sergio directed events from the dug-out.

But the new manager obviously hasn't picked up the Edinburgh lingo yet as he ignored the fans' request of a wave early on.

All he was focused on was his players and their high-tempo start was just what the punters wanted to see.

Stevenson had their first pop at goal from an Ian Black free-kick but stabbed his shot wide from 12 yards.

Paksi may have been 5-1 outsiders going into the match but Karoly Kis' men had already shown in their first Euro adventure that they wouldn't be afraid to win on foreign soil.

After a 1-1 first-leg draw with Tromso in the last round, they hammered the Norwegians on their own patch to record an impressive 4-1 aggregate result.

Paksi weren't in Scotland's capital to see the sights and skipper Laszlo Eger quickly stamped his authority on the game with a crunching tackle on Stephen Elliott which forced the Irish striker to limp off.

Hearts had the majority of possession in the early stages but the Hungarians looked a threat on the break and at times the Jambos were vulnerable at the back.

Thankfully, Paksi keeper Norbert Csernyanszky gifted them the lead in 34 minutes.

Stevenson got on the end of Danny Grainger's corner but his header should have been saved comfortably.

Instead, Csernyanszky fumbled on the line and allowed the ball to slip through his fingers to give Sergio and the Gorgie crowd the goal they craved.

Grainger almost made it 2-0 moments later when his free-kick fizzed under the Paksi wall but rippled the side-netting.

Kis' side were rarely in Hearts' box but their first-leg scorer, Istvan Sipeki, fired the ball just past Marian Kello's left-hand post as they tried to find a quick-fire equaliser.

Stevenson had other ideas, though, as he grabbed Hearts' second just before the break.

Sutton, who had replaced the injured Elliott, set him up and from a tight angle he rifled the ball past Csernyanszky.

It was a tidy finish from the frontman but the Paksi keeper failed to cover himself in glory again with his attempts to keep the ball out.

Daniel Bode almost pulled one back for the Hungarians just after the interval but failed to hit the target before the Jambos killed the game with a third.

Sutton was at the heart of it again as he held off his man in the box and teed up Driver. The Scotland winger capped his comeback with a terrific finish which nestled in the top corner.

With the result in the bag it was inevitable Hearts would take their foot off the gas and Bode had two gilt-edged chances to get his name on the scoresheet. He rattled the bar with a close-range header then Kello denied him with a super stop as the striker raced clean through on goal.

Paksi were to rue those misses as Hearts bagged their fourth goal with 15 minutes left. Skacel had replaced Driver to rapturous applause from the home crowd and didn't let them down when he scored a tap-in after David Templeton's shot was parried by Csernyanszky.

The goal was greeted by chants of "Sergio" as the Tynecastle fans showed their appreciation of the new gaffer and this time he responded with a clap.

By that time, a Paksi goal barely mattered but Bode finally found the back of the net with a bullet header in the last minute.

But even a bit of slack defending by the Jambos couldn't spoil Sergio's night.

Taken from the Daily Record