Aggressive display by Jambos in testy Killie confrontation
KILMARNOCK 0 HEARTS 1 Ikpeazu (82)
Craig Levein is beginning to create the type of Hearts’ side he loves. The Tynecastle manager favours a quick, aggressive team with powerful defenders and a big attacker leading the line. He had a version of his dream team last term but this model is producing victories. A goal from man mountain Uche Ikpeazu was enough for the Jambos to beat 10-man Kilmarnock and stay on top of the Premiership. Levein didn’t shy away from discussing what he feels is a winning formula. He said: “I think certain things in this league work, it’s about trying to put as many of those things together to make them work. “Sometimes people say it’s like a Craig Levein team, I just want a team that wins. “We have won the first three matches but that’s all. There is still a long, long way to go and we have achieved absolutely nothing yet. “Uche’s still a really young guy, he’s just moved up here and he doesn’t really know the league yet. “In some ways it helps that opposition players don’t know much about his strengths and his weaknesses. “He’d been on a goal drought so it was satisfying to see him back on the scoresheet.” Levein is hopeful of adding more players before the transfer window shuts this week. He’s looking to bring former striker Osman Sow back to the club – fitness concerns are holding up that move. Also in his sights are Northern Ireland centre-back Gareth McAuley and Manchester United full-back Demetri Mitchell, who spent part of last season on loan at Tynecastle. Rugby Park wasn’t a place for the purist yesterday. Free-flowing, skilful play was in short supply. This was football in the raw. Referee Willie Collum will need to retire his whistle, or at least look for a new pea! It seemed hard to run with the ball and that led to long balls that ended with plenty of collisions. Hearts began to dominate possession as the game went on. Olly Lee had a great opportunity to put his side ahead just before the break but headed straight at MacDonald from close range. That was a fairly routine save for the Killie keeper but he produced a superb stop later on when he brilliantly tipped away a MacLean header. That came after the home side had been reduced to 10 men. Gary Dicker was sent-off when Willie Collum believed the midfielder had made a dangerous tackle of Callumn Morrison. It seemed a harsh decision and forced Killie to immediately replace Kris Boyd with the more defensively-minded Iain Wilson. Hearts’ winner came when Ikpeazu got a flick on a Haring cross from the edge of the box and it flew past the goalie. The big striker admitted he had waited all week to prove a point after a disappointing show against Dunfermline in the League Cup. He wants to prove he can make the fans forget about Kyle Lafferty. He said: “There’s a lot more to come from me. I’ve just got to be consistent. “Last week I wasn’t good enough and the gaffer had a little word with me. “If I don’t do well, I beat myself up. I know I’m a good player.” Hearts remain unbeaten in the league and already that is rekindling memories of the George Burley said that started so well in 2005. He was famously sacked by Vladimir Romanov with his men top of the table. Craig Levein smiled when asked about the comparisons. “I don’t think you can compare Ann Budge with Mr Romanov,” he said.