Source: FOOTYMAD
Firepower enhanced
It is no use being called a striker if you don't score goals. Having some competition can focus the mind on the job in hand Kevin Kyle believes Jim Jefferies can rely on getting goals no matter who he decides will lead the line. Strikers Kyle and Stephen Elliott were signed by Jefferies this summer to bolster the club's attacking options after they struggled in front of goal last season. Previously with Kilmarnock, Kyle scored his first Hearts goal from the penalty spot on Saturday as Hamilton were outplayed in a comprehensive 4-0 New Douglas Park victory. The real Hearts hero, though, was Calum Elliot, a homegrown forward who never managed to score a goal last season, but who picked up two against Hamilton to add to his opening-day goal against St Johnstone. Kyle said: "It's something Hearts haven't had for a while - competition up front for places. The players coming in are scoring goals and if everyone else in the team knows we can score goals it takes a lot of pressure off the back four. With a couple of big signings with me and Stephen Elliott, Calum might have been thinking 'am I going to get a game?', but with the two of us being unfit, he has got the nod. Fair play to him, I respect him 100% for what he has done so far this season. I didn't realise he hadn't scored any last season, so it's good for his confidence that he has got three already this time. I'm really pleased for him because he deserves it. His all-round game and eagerness to do well was great. I've tried to give him little bits of advice and I've said to him, 'isn't it better that you've got players like me and Stephen pushing you?' and he agreed it was far better. Right now he's sticking to the task and none of us could argue if he stays in the team. I'm going to phone Stephen now and tell him not to bother coming to training next week because he isn't going to get a game!" It was Elliot who won the penalty which Kyle converted, Hamilton's Martin Canning tripping him to become the second player in the game to be red-carded following Ruben Palazuelos in leaving the field early. Rather than take the penalty himself, though, Elliot persuaded Kyle to step up. Kyle added: "I was pleased to get off the mark. When you go to a new club as a striker the pressure is on to get goals so that penalty got the wee monkey off my back. Calum chucked me the ball for the penalty. Wee Craig Thomson wanted it, but Calum said, 'nah, give it to the big man'. That was good of him." Jefferies saw his side two ahead by half-time via strikes from Elliot and David Templeton and was pleased to see the job completed by his suddenly prolific striking options after the break. He said: "Calum has benefited from us bringing in more competition. We've got Stephen Elliott, Kevin Kyle, plus we already had David Obua and Gary Glen as well."
