Hearts edged closer to securing a UEFA Cup place by keeping a nine-point gap between themselves and nearest challengers Dunfermline following a turgid encounter on the East End Park plastic.

Greg Shields almost won it for the Pars, who at least created more than the visitors, but the defender was denied by a post.

The league table indicated that these were the best teams in Scotland outside the Old Firm but the afternoon turned out to be as disappointing as it was chilly.

The home side made a lively start with the fit-again Noel Hunt, who was playing up front in the absence of injured first choices Stevie Crawford and Craig Brewster, firing over twice in the first few minutes.

The first was from close range and the second was a shot on the turn after he chested down a Richie Byrne delivery with his back to goal.

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon was far busier before the break than his Dunfermline counterpart Derek Stillie and made saves to deny both Young brothers.

Derek was the first to have a go after Alan Maybury made a hash of a Shields cross but Gordon was perfectly positioned to make a low stop at his near post.

Darren's effort was well struck too, with Robert Sloan having emulated Maybury with a poor clearance, but Gordon was able to leap to his right to make the save of the half.

Hearts threatened only occasionally at the other end, with Andy Kirk firing wide and then over and Sloan sending a free-kick skidding wide.

A Kevin McKenna drive took a deflection that might have fooled Stillie but in the end the ball went behind for a corner.

After that the half petered out altogether with Patrick Kisnorbo and Darren Young both booked for fouls on each other.

The home fans only became animated just before the break when referee Kenny Clark allowed Gordon to pick up a Maybury backpass and the away fans on the whistle amused themselves by abusing chief executive Chris Robinson for his unpopular plans to sell Tynecastle and rent Murrayfield.

The second half took time to warm up in the icy conditions but it was the home side that finally upped the temperature.

Barry Nicholson, who had scored twice in midweek to help eliminate Clyde in the Tennent's Scottish Cup, fired an acrobatic effort just wide before Shields, latching on to a Derek Young pass, beat Gordon with a drive that rebounded back in to play off the goalkeeper's left-hand post.

Stillie then made a hash of an attempt to gather a high ball and needed Andrius Skerla to get in the way of the Dennis Wyness shot that followed.

Dunfermline substituted Hunt for Lee Bullen with 21 minutes remaining. Bullen took up a defensive position so centre-back Andy Tod could use his bulk up front.

A late chance to win the game did come the home side's way when Scott Wilson won a header that fell perfectly for skipper Scott Thomson in front of goal.

No defender was near him but at the vital moment he failed to connect, an aberration that just about summed up the entire afternoon.

Teams

Dunfermline Stillie, Shields, Scott Wilson, Skerla, Byrne (Mehmet 82), Nicholson, Darren Young, Scott Thomson, Derek Young (Dempsey 87), Hunt (Bullen 69), Tod.

Subs Not Used: Ruitenbeek, Labonte.

Booked: Darren Young, Byrne.

Hearts Goron, Pressley, McKenna, Webster, Neilson, Stamp, Sloan (MacFarlane 86), Kisnorbo, Maybury, Kirk, Wyness (Weir 82).

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, Simmons, Hamill.

Booked: Kisnorbo.

Att: 8,421

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).

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