Jambos get back to basics to notch first victory
CHRISTOPHE BERRA believes the real Hearts can now emerge after doing the dirty work needed to claim their first Premiership win of the season.
A back-to-basics approach by caretaker boss Jon Daly is slowly beginning to restore the confidence that faded away under Ian Cathro.
There was nothing stylish about the manner of the Jambos’ first away victory in nine games at Rugby Park.
That lack of flair isn’t something that concerns Berra.
The Tynecastle skipper said: “Sometimes you have to win the fight first and then get the victory.
“Fo ot b a l l is about basics and if you do them well, then you can look to move on.
“If we’d gone 2-0 up, we might have been able to play more football.
“We have a good team on paper and if we do the dirty jobs then we can show our quality.
“Players might have looked like they had chucked it recently, but they hadn’t.”
A downside for Hearts was goal- scorer Esmael Goncalves getting sent off along with Killie’s Kirk Broadfoot.
The Hearts’ camp felt the striker reacted to having his hair pulled by the home defender.
Berra added: “He’s very disappointed. You have to keep the head but if someone pulls your hair, it’s going to be sore and things happen in the heat of the moment.
“It’s hard not to react but he has. Esma is a fiery character and he’ll need to learn from this.
“People will target him if he doesn’t. He might have to shave his hair off!”
Both Hearts boss Jon Daly and Killie gaffer Lee McCulloch claimed they hadn’t seen the incident.
McCulloch said he chose not to watch a video replay at full-time.
Hearts’ goal reflected very badly on the home defence.
Goncalves ran on to a ball from the left wing and the Killie pairing of Greer
and Broadfoot gave him time to fire home.
Conceding so early left Lee McCulloch’s men chasing the game.
They failed to create a single chance in the first half and their chosen method of attack was a series of aimless, high punts forward.
Hearts could easily have gone further ahead but Jamie MacDonald raced out of his box to deny Goncalves a second.
Killie’s Rory McKenzie was set up Dom Thomas after the break but hit two efforts at Hearts goalie Hamilton when he really should have scored.
Ky l e Lafferty then missed a sitter in front of goal at the end of a passage of play that was reminiscent of the Keystone Cops.
He failed to either control the ball or get a shot away.
Lee McCulloch refused to be too downhearted.
He said: “It ’s disappointing to come away with nothing but it was a massive improvement to the Celtic game during the week.
“The signs are there that we are improving, week by week, and we could have had a point, possibly all three.”