PERHAPS it was because the Championship trophy itself wasn't around to gulp it out of.

But there was a dreadful waste of some perfectly good champagne at Tynecastle yesterday.

The sight of a shivering Robbie Neilson in a soggy maroon jumper, having been freshly doused in ice cold Dom Perignon, when he came in for his celebratory post-match media, made you wonder precisely how pleasant the whole experience was. But after watching his side grind out another of the victories which have been their trademark this season, the 34-year-old said he hoped there would be more champagne moments in his future. He is still somewhat amazed to have the first title of his young coaching career all wrapped up with fully seven games to spare.

"I never expected it to be the way it ended up - that was beyond everyone's imagination," said Neilson. "But we did it ourselves. We never got any favours from anyone.

"Everybody enjoyed themselves today, the players and fans ... but I am cold! It has been a great season, great to be part of. The players have really enjoyed it, the fans have really enjoyed it, and it was nice to have the celebration with everybody. It is the first time I have been soaked like this and hopefully there are a few more like it as well."

The trophy must wait until May 2, and Hearts' last home match - which just happens to be against Rangers. Having originally hoped it would be a title decider, now Neilson has it pencilled in as a title party.

The players - even those who mischievously soaked their gaffer yesterday - will be given two days off to celebrate, but with another league meeting with Rangers to come on Sunday at Ibrox, there will be no resting on laurels. "If we win the league and then lose at Ibrox, everything is flat again, it's down," Neilson said. "So we have to continue to win games."

The trophy might not have been at Tynecastle yesterday but plenty of notable people were. Allan Wells, the former Olympic gold medallist and Hearts fan was out on the pitch at half-time, as was Ken Stott, of Rebus fame, while Fernando Ricksen took a seat in the director's box, honouring a previous commitment made by the club to his Motor Neurone Disease charity. Before the players re-emerged for their lap of honour, clad in Champions 16 t-shirts, the club's directors took their bow, with director of football Craig Levein doing his best to remain incognito and owner Ann Budge thanking the supporters for their support. There was a small joke about her contingency plan to allow two years to get out of the championship, something that looks faintly absurd in retrospect.

"Like everyone else in the stadium, it feels absolutely fantastic [to be champions]," said Budge. "Clearly, the people who have really made the difference are the supporters. I want to thank you on behalf of everyone at the club. I also want to thank everyone who supported the Foundation of Hearts. Without that we would not be here."

The football itself was as windswept as it was interesting. After Queens formed a guard of honour, an icy gale swirled a multitude of balloons around the Tynecastle surface like something out of American Beauty, delaying kick-off. But it didn't take long for Osman Sow to master the conditions. Only six minutes had elapsed by the time this languid, talented Swedish striker swept past the challenge of Chris Higgins and steered a low left-foot finish into Zander Clark's bottom corner. Nominally starting on the left side, the big Swede was showing his full repertoire, playing Adam Eckersley in for one chance, then forcing an expert save from Zander Clark with the sweetest of backheels.

Jamie Walker went close twice to adding a second goal at one end, and Neil Alexander was almost caught by surprise by a Mark Millar strike at the other, but there was a symbolism of sorts when the clincher came from the boot of Alim Ozturk. The big centre half, whose injury-time 40-yard equaliser at Easter Road came at one of the few crisis points of the entire season, struck a low free-kick which deflected off the wall before depositing itself in the corner.

"We would have liked to have got the trophy today because we're desperate to get our hands on it," said James Keatings, one of the protagonists-in-chief when it came to showering the coaches in champagne. "But it was still great to celebrate with the fans today because obviously we didn't get that chance last weekend. It will be good to get the trophy on the last day, against Rangers who were the favourites to win the league. It will be in front our fans and we'll go out to enjoy that day."

Hearts already seem destined to be a force next season. "The manager always aims high and I'm sure he'll strengthen in the summer as well," said Keatings. "With the quality we already have now, that will make the team even better."

ends

Hearts (4-2-3-1): Alexander; Paterson, Ozturk, Wilson, Eckersley; Pallardo, Gomis; King (Nicholson 60), Walker, Sow (El Hassnaoui 77); Zeefuik (Keatings 71).

Subs not used: Gallacher, McHattie, Anderson, McKay

Queen of the South: Clark; Dowie, Durnan, Higgins, Holt; Carmichael, Millar (Kidd 71), McKenna (McShane 63), Paton; Lyle (A Smith 80), Reilly.

Subs not used: Atkinson, Pickard, D Smith, Hooper

Attendance: 16,855

Booked: QoS: Higgins 50, Kidd 85

Man of the match: O Sow (Hearts)