Hearts 3

Motherwell 0

Scorers: Tomaschek (15min), Kirk (63, 80).

ALAN Hansen, in his own

distinctive Sauchie meets Sean Connery brogue, claimed a few years ago that Manchester United wouldn't win anything with youngsters in their team.

David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes proved him completely wrong and although it's unrealistic to compare that Old Trafford team with the talent emerging at Tynecastle Craig Levein certainly has the same philosophy and trust in young players as the esteemed Sir Alex Ferguson.

No doubt Hansen, if he ever bothered to turn his punditry to Scottish football, would claim that Hearts won't win anything with kids in their side, but out of all the teams in Scotland at present, Aberdeen excepted, they seem the most keen to at least give them a chance.

Take Gary Wales and Andy Kirk, both of whom Levein sees as his first-choice striking partnership for next season, and when match fit are likely to keep the vastly more experienced Stephane Adam, Gary McSwegan, Gordon Durie, and the versatile Thomas Flogel out of the side.

Wales came on as substitute against Motherwell in the latest step in his rehabilitation after an injury-hit season, while Kirk's two headed second-half goals showed a glimpse of the potential the Northern Ireland internationalist has to score at the top level.

In the Under-21 ranks last season when Hearts won the league, Wales and Kirk scored nearly 50 goals between them and although they are both

similar types of players with lethal pace, Levein believes they can play in the same side.

They will certainly be given their chance and, with a top six place assured and the possibility of a UEFA Cup spot still up for grabs, Levein's young players still have a lot to play for.

Wales, in particular, who was signed for Hearts from Hamilton Accies for #80,000, will feel he has something to prove, as until his leg break against Rangers in the last game of last season, was being touted as every bit as good a young player as his close friend and Scotland Under-21 colleague, Kenny Miller, of Rangers.

Although Hearts deserved to beat Motherwell, they were

flattered by the three-goal winning margin - the best of the bunch being a magnificent long range effort from Robert Tomaschek after 15 minutes. Billy Davies' side were denied three penalty kick claims, only one of which I felt was worth a second look by referee David Somers.

The Fir Park side's hopes weren't helped by a bad injury to Derek Townsley who fell heavily following an aerial challenge with the Hearts defence. The player lay on the ground for a full five minutes before being taken to hospital where he received treatment to a head injury and a broken nose.

As Davies pointed out afterwards, for his side to lose nine first-team players mid-

season and having to chop and change his team accordingly, then lose a player of the calibre of Townsley, just showed how things were not going right for Motherwell.

He will be looking to his own young players, such as Derek Adams, who claimed he should have been given a penalty after a challenge from Steven Pressley in the second half, Northern Ireland internationalist Stuart Elliot, and Steven Hammell to help him out of a hole.

However, looking at the depleted squad he has to work with, things look grim.

They put together some good moves and created some good chances against Hearts, with Greg Strong hitting a post in the first half and, in the second, Elliot rounded Antti Niemi but lost his footing at the crucial moment and ran the ball out of play.

However, there seemed a lack of confidence in the ranks and no recognised playmaker, which isn't surprising when you consider Ged Brannan and John Spencer, who were both such big influences, have left the club.

Stevie Woods will prove to be a reasonable replacement for Andy Goram, with Said Chiba, the on-loan Moroccan, doing his best to prove some sort of inspiration in the middle of the park.

With hopes of a top-six finish now gone and relegation long since avoided, Motherwell's season is now officially over, which will be met by a huge sigh of relief from the long-suffering Fir Park supporters who have had to endure a campaign which started with so much expectation, but will end by their team playing out meaningless games from now until the end of the season.

For Hearts, there is still a chance of a fourth place league finish, which would bring a UEFA Cup spot.

This is something Levein freely admits he didn't even consider making when he took over from Jim Jefferies.

He still maintains St Johnstone defender Gary Bollan is likely to join the club next season, despite the fact he failed a medical at the weekend which would have seen him sign for a nominal fee from the Perth club straight away.

However, the news that he was set to have a competitor for the left-back slot has had a positive affect on young Austin McCann.

He put in a sterling performance against Motherwell and is yet another example of the young players Levein believes can bring success back to the Tynecastle club.