| Not being one to gloat, Jim Jefferies kept his post match comments reasonable after seeing his side beat Hibs 2-1. He said that five goals for the home side would not have been an unexpected return for their efforts. JJ brought Andy Driver, Ruben Palazuelos and Ian Black into his starting line-up despite their recent knee problems. Driver's inclusion brought early dividends when he volleyed the opening goal in the 24th minute and his corner led to Gary Glen heading home three minutes later. Winger Driver had returned to training on Monday after six weeks on the sidelines, but Palazuelos only started back on Friday after a similar lay-off. Hearts were forced into an 18th-minute reshuffle when Dawid Kucharski limped off and Black did not last long enough to see the second goal after suffering a head knock. But his side created numerous chances and a makeshift central defence of Lee Wallace and Eggert Jonsson, with Palazuelos deputising at left-back, survived comfortably after Derek Riordan scored in the 79th minute. Jefferies said: "It was too close at the end, it should have been over. If the score had been four or five-nil at one stage, I don't think it would have flattered us. What pleased me was the way we started the second half - we had three great opportunities in a 10-minute spell. The goal that got them back into it was down to tired legs. Ruben tried to stop the ball coming in but I can't complain. We took a gamble with him, Black and Driver, but I felt their experience was important in a match like this. I just felt Hibs would get a surprise when they saw the team sheet. We had planned to take them off after an hour but the two injuries obviously upset us." Jefferies used his man-management skills to get the best out of his selections. He said: "I had to get into wee Andrew's head and tell him this would be the game they would be worried about if he was playing. We convinced him this would be a game where he could be a big player. He said he would leave it up to me and as soon as he said that he was in. Pazaleluos did not even train on Thursday. He said, 'Maybe I would be better on the bench', but I said I didn't have time for that. Wee Blackie was always keen to play. He wasn't wanting to come off. We asked him how many times he had been down and he said once but he had been off twice. That obviously tells you there is concussion there and the medical people insisted we take him off. It's unfortunate for Ian because he started the game very well." |