Spot on Hartley earns Hearts Champions League berth

HEARTS will be in the Champions League qualifiers next season for the first time after a tension-filled 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Tynecastle.

The Jambos secured second place in the SPL table courtesy of a Paul Hartley penalty in the 54th minute after Dons defender Alexander Diamond had stopped a certain goal with his hand.

It was a deserved win for the Edinburgh side who have never been out of the top two places all season and it was captured on a dramatic night in Gorgie.

Aberdeen started confidently enough but their challenge fizzled out and, with 11 minutes left, midfielder Scott Severin was sent off for a overly-robust challenge on Bruno Aguiar.

After a scrappy first-half, Hearts started the second-half much better and the all important goal arrived in the 54th minute. A Jankauskas header from 12 yards caused mayhem in the box and, although the ball was eventually cleared for a corner, the opening goal arrived immediately as a result of the set-piece.

HEARTS: Gordon, Neilson, Fyssas, Pressley, Tall, Aguiar (Brellier 90), Cesnauskis, Hartley, Skacel (Mikoliunas 66), Jankauskas, Bednar (Pospisil 88).

ABERDEEN: Langfield, McNaughton, Anderson, Diamond (Dempsey 66), Byrne, Nicholson, Severin, Foster, Smith, Lovell (Mackie 33), Crawford.

Referee: S Dougal.