Darren Jackson blasted in his first goal for Hearts as the rampant Edinburgh
club strode away from relegation trouble at the expense of Motherwell at Fir
Park today.
Jackson, who had failed to find the net in four games since his £350,000 move
from Celtic last month, drilled in a 20-yard shot midway through the first half,
then played a starring role as Stephane Adam bagged two more in the second
period to send the travelling army into delirium.
Colin Cameron's last-minute fourth capped a magnificent individual display,
his early season absence surely a major reason for Hearts' struggles.
Andy Goram was rooted to the spot as Jackson drilled home the opener, lacthing
onto a loose ball on the edge of the box after an Adam cross had been deflected
into his path.
Adam's double whammy merely confirmed the inevitable - and raised question
marks about how the club had found themselves in their desperate position in the
first place.
Adam's first had an element of controversy about it. With the second half just
seconds old, Rob McKinnon clipped a ball through the static Motherwell defence.
Stand-in skipper Cameron was clearly offside but remained still as Adam ran
on.
The Frenchman's first shot cannoned kindly back off Goram, allowing the Hearts
forward to steer home the rebound.
Motherwell were asleep when Adam grabbed his second, the striker given acres
of room inside the six-yard box as he planted a neat header past Goram, with
McKinnon again the provider.
After picking up four points from their last two away games Hearts had started
with the confidence their recent resurgence suggested.
Jackson found space in front of the Motherwell defence, who struggled to cope
with the incisive bursts of Adam and strike partner Gary McSwegan.
Too many Motherwell passes went astray during a scrappy opening period for the
home side, whose only clear chance came when John Spencer headed a Ged Brannan
cross straight at Gilles Rousset.
Brannan had almost been responsible for gifting Jackson the opener seconds
before the former Celtic man fired home for the visitors and even after the
goal, Motherwell continued in their sloppy manner.
Spencer scurried about looking for work but Hearts had the class.
Manager Jim Jefferies had taken the brave decision to dump Dave McPherson to
the bench, preferring a three-man defence in which Paul Ritchie was an
impressively composed figure.
Don Goodman had few chances to open his Fir Park account and the best chances
were all heading towards their own goal, Jackson dragging a shot wide when well
placed.
A defensive reshuffle just before the break, when Shaun Teale was removed from
the fray after suffering a cut to his face.
Spencer dropped back into midfield, with Stephen McMillan taking over the
vacant centre-half role.
But Motherwell barely had time to establish a pattern before Adam made it two
within 60 seconds of the re-start.
McSwegan hit the bar as the men from Tynecastle swarmed forward and even the
double substitution which saw Pat Nevin and Rob Matthaei introduced for
Motherwell, failed to halt their advance.
Adam could barely believe the amount of space he was afforded as he nodded
home his second and the visitors' third and Andy Goram, who is believed to have
agreed a new contract to keep him at Fir Park, must be wondering what he has
left himself in for.
Jackson had been withdrawn from the fray when the former Rangers man produced
an acrobatic stop to deny Cameron, who had been shoved further forward to
exploit the space Motherwell seemed unable to fill.
Cameron fired in number four, giving Goram little chance other than to cast an
admiring glance at the ball as it flashed past him into the top left hand
corner.
The gulf in class had turned into a chasm and Hearts were producing the style
which brought them their Cup Final success last season.
Jefferies must be wondering why it has taken so long.
Teams:
Motherwell: Goram, Doesburg, McGowan (Matthaei 56), Thomas,
Teale (McCulloch 42), McMillan, Valakari (Nevin 56), Gower,
Brannan, Spencer, Goodman.
Subs Not Used: Nicholas, Woods.
Booked: McMillan, Goodman.
Hearts: Rousset, Locke, Pressley, Ritchie, McKinnon, Cameron,
Jackson (Guerin 61), Murray, Severin, Adam, McSwegan (Kirk 85).
Subs Not Used: McPherson, Naysmith, McKenzie.
Booked: Murray, McSwegan, Severin.
Goals: Jackson 21, Adam 46, 59, Cameron 90.
Att: 8,926
Ref: A Freeland (Aberdeen).
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