Jim Jefferies returned
to the club he served with such distinction both as a player and manager
and was given a warm reception by the home fans.
The Killie boss has
maroon blood flowing through his veins and will be remembered for ending
a 32- year Tynecastle trophy drought when he led Hearts to Scottish Cup
glory in 1998.
Jefferies must have
found it strange taking his seat in the visitors' dug- out but there was
a job to be done and he would have been desperate for all three points.
This really was the
battle of the in-form teams this season with the home side sitting third
going into the game and Killie just a place behind and looking to
leapfrog them.
In the end it was Jim Jefferies seeing his 10-man
Kilmarnock side hold on for a deserved point on his return to
Tynecastle.
The home side took the lead in
the 31st minute through left-back Paul McMullan with a tremendous drive.
But Killie's task looked even
more difficult when Sean Hessey was shown the red card just seven
minutes later for an elbow on Jean-Louis Valois - the fourth Rugby Park
player to be sent off this season.
But Killie levelled through Kris
Boyd on the stroke of half-time and managed to deny Hearts throughout
the second half.
(More Sandy Ferguson's
Hearts match photos
Here
)
Jefferies' return also brought a
return to the capital city for Gary Locke and Steve Fulton, who were in
the starting line-up and Gary McSwegan on the bench. Phil Stamp made his
home debut for Hearts.
Mark de Vries fed Stamp who
unleashed his shot from inside the 18-yard box but the effort was wide.
There was concern for Hearts
after 26 minutes when De Vries was involved in a clash with Sean Hessey. He
appeared to take a blow to the throat and had to receive treatment but
was able to continue.
(Photo
from SNS & used with permission)
Bizarrely though, referee David Somers didn't feel
the need to book him but 10 minutes before the break the whistler did
produce a card - and this time it was red.
Valois was using all
his trickery to tease the Killie defence just outside the box and Hessey
decided to stop him with sheer force.
With the Frenchman
lying in a heap the referee dismissed him, indicating the use of an
elbow, and the Killie man also took an ear-bashing from his manager as
he made his way down the tunnel.
(Photo
from SNS & used with permission)
Hearts had dominated most of the game and their
pressure eventually paid off after 30 minutes. Steven Boyack's corner
was cleared but the ball fell kindly to McMullan and he left Marshall
helpless when he drove the ball into the top corner of the net from 25
yards.
But Killie recovered and managed
to force themselves back into the game when they levelled on the
half-time whistle.
Marshall's goal-kick was met by
Craig Dargo and he played the ball into the path of Kris Boyd, who rounded
Hearts goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie before rolling the ball into the back
of the net. This was Boyd's 3rd goal in 4 games !
Kilmarnock were threatening
within a minute of the re-start. Fulton looked keen to grab a goal
against his former side but drove the ball just over the crossbar
instead.
Hearts could have reclaimed their
lead after 59 minutes. Valois played the ball through the Scott Severin,
just inside the six-yard box, and he looked certain to net but Marshall
did well to dive low and block the shot.
(Photo
from SNS & used with permission)
Kevin McKenna should have grabbed
Hearts' second goal after 74 minutes when he rose to meet Boyack's
corner only to direct the header just inches wide of the post.
If that was close, Hearts
couldn't believe their luck just seconds later. De Vries thought he had
netted his seventh goal of the season when he sent the ball past
Marshall from close range but substitute Peter Canero produced an
amazing diving header to clear the ball off the line.(Below)
(Photo
from SNS & used with permission)
McKenna had another chance from a
Valois corner but this time he was denied by Freddie Dindeleux's
clearance on the line with just three minutes remaining.
Referee: D
Somers
Attendance: 11,912
Kilmarnock: Gordon
Marshall, Sean Hessey, Frederic Dindeleux, Barry McLaughlin, Greg
Shields, Gary Locke, Alan Mahood, Steve Fulton, Craig Dargo (Gary
McSwegan, 84), Kris Boyd, Andy McLaren (Peter Canero, 55)
Subs: Colin Meldrum, Peter Canero, Chris Innes, Gary
McSwegan, Jose Quitongo
Sandy Ferguson's Hearts match photos
Here
