Hearts may have lost the last game of the season against Celtic at Tynecastle today but Jim Jefferies wasn't hesitant in praising the effort of his players.

The Tynecastle side were without a few first team players, including supporters' Player of the Year Lee Wallace who missed out through injury, but the team more than held their own against Neil Lennon's team and were unlucky to lose to a fantastic winning goal from Zheng Zhi after Marius Zaliukas had cancelled out Robbie Keane's opener.

Hearts fought toe-to-toe with Celtic but in the end couldn't grab an equalising goal that would have given them a thoroughly deserved point. For the performance, the Hearts manager was content with his team.

He said: "They showed me what they could do today more than they have in the past and maybe that was to do with the players having the pressure off so they could attack with more freedom but they certainly had a go today.

"I thought the first half was the best 45 minutes since we came here. I know Celtic started reasonably well but once we got to grips to the changes we had to make to the team, I thought the last 25 minutes of the half we played exceptionally well.

"We knew Celtic were always capable of lifting it in the second half and we didn't play as well. Who knows, maybe after a long hard season it was difficult for them but we just didn't look as sharp. I was delighted with the effort and commitment for the game."

It may have been a meaningless end of season game to the neutral supporter but games between these two are rarely 'meaningless' and Celtic came to Tynecastle fired up as their players try to win the manager's job for interim boss Neil Lennon.

"And when you look at it, it was a tall order, well maybe even a virtually impossible task with Neil having them fired up as he looks to get that job," Jefferies added.  

"Sometimes you just hope that the lads go out and play the 90 minutes.

"To their credit they didn't do that today and it was only a wonder-strike that stopped us. In the end we didn't give it to Celtic, they had to earn it and that is all you can ask."

On Hearts.TV today - Catch post-match reaction from JJ and Jason Thomson. Tomorrow watch all the highlights from Tynecastle and enjoy more special-feature post-match reaction