Lafferty’s gesture at end doesn’t mean he’s off, insists Levein after Hearts progress
KYLE LAFFERTY threw his shirt and shin pads into the crowd after Hearts’ victory over Dunfermline, but Craig Levein insists there was no hidden message behind the gesture and he is not poised to leave the club.
The Northern Ireland cap is being tracked by Rangers and, by Levein’s own admission, discussions have continued this week over a transfer.
The 30-year-old, last week’s match-winner against Celtic, was left on the bench until the 70th minute at East End Park and failed to have the same impact in the Jambos’ narrow victory over their Championship hosts.
However, despite his antics at the full-time whistle, Levein is confident the striker still has a future at Tynecastle.
‘Kyle costs us a fortune,’ joked Levein. ‘He does that every single week. So don’t read anything into that.
‘Do I think that’s his last game? No.’
That Hearts keeper Zdenek Zlamal was as big an influence on the victory as goalscorer Olly Lee told its own story as the Gorgie outfit were made to work for their quarter-final spot.
Lee drilled in the winner with 11 minutes to spare. However, Zlamal will take as many plaudits as the midfielder for a hat-trick of stunning saves that prevented Dunfermline from pulling off a shock.
The Czech No 1 was in inspired form, and he had to be to keep out an effort from Faissal El Bakhtaoui, who also hit the post in the firsthalf, a header from Danny Devine and a close-range injury-time shot from Aidan Connolly.
Hearts started full of belief but thereafter Dunfermline settled and swarmed forward at every opportunity. John Souttar, wearing the Hearts armband, was repeatedly called into action with vital touches before the Pars came within inches of the
opening goal after ten minutes.
Uche Ikpeazu, already a cult hero and a key figure in Hearts’ triumph over Celtic, had used his hulking frame to cause the home rearguard problems with his physicality, but he lost out to Louis Longridge inside his own half to create issues going in the opposite direction.
Longridge’s flick found James Craigen, who in turn fed El Bakhtaoui. The striker may have been better served returning to the supporting Craigen and his shot across goal cannoned back off the post to the relief of Hearts.
Ikpeazu, so strong as the focal point of the Jambos’ attack, momentarily lost his sturdiness on the edge of the six-yard box as he jostled with Mark Durnan to reach a cross, but referee Bobby Madden, hard pressed as tackles flew in on a rainslick surface, was not moved by the penalty appeals.
Levein introduced summer signing Oliver Bozanic in place of the injured Aaron Hughes at the interval.
Dunfermline refused to give their visitors any peace in midfield and their threeman central defence clearly relished the physical challenge of keeping Ikpeazu at bay.
They were no slouches in attack either and El Bakhtaoui just failed to direct a 54th-minute header on target.
The Frenchman came closer in the 69th minute as Hearts required keeper Zlamal to prevent them from slipping behind. Longridge seized possession in his own half and found Ryan Williamson a willing runner.
The full-back raced beyond the Hearts rearguard and into the box before lifting a pinpoint cross to the back post, but El Bakhtaoui’s bicycle kick was beaten away by the outsretched gloves of Zlamal.
Souttar then escaped with only a yellow card for a lastman foul on El Bakhtaoui, fortunate that the tackle came 45 yards from goal, and with Lafferty introduced to the fray Hearts finally found the breakthrough 11 minutes from time.
Lee was gifted a glimmer of hope with space to look up inside the box and his drilled shot skipped through the legs of Devine and nestled in the far corner of the net.
‘I’m disappointed to lose but it was the manner of the performance,’ said delighted Dunfermline manager Allan Johnston. ‘I thought the boys were different class and gave everything against a strong Hearts team, and pushed them all the way. On another day, we could quite easily have won.’
Meanwhile, Levein has confessed he could need two new defenders after Hughes hobbled off in the wake of skipper Christophe Berra’s hamstring tear sustained last weekend against Celtic.
‘I’m in the middle of trying to get another centre-back in — and I might need two now, although I better not tell Ann (Budge) that!’ said Levein.
‘It was a blow for Aaron and for us.’