SPFL,
Wednesday 2 April 2014 – Tynecastle
Like a champion boxer
knocked to the canvas but crawling back up the ropes for one last punch, Hearts
refuse to accept the inevitably that is relegation without putting up one hell
of a fight. Having thwarted their city rivals and spoiled the ‘relegation party’
by defeating Hibernian on Sunday, Hearts refused to let even a numerical
disadvantage get the better of them by storming back for a well-deserved draw
against high-flying Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening.
The consensus was that,
while taking great delight in denying Hibernian the opportunity to demote them,
Hearts plight was irretrievable and defeat from a team who lifted the League
Cup a couple of weeks ago would confirm relegation. When the Dons took the lead
in the second half and Hearts skipper Danny Wilson was sent off, it seemed that
was that. However, there is no team in Scotland with more spirit than Gary
Locke’s Hearts and, like they did in August, they denied Aberdeen victory with
a late goal and one that means the Boys in Maroon are still clinging on to the
lifejacket tossed from SS Relegation.
One of the heroes from
Sunday’s Edinburgh derby victory – Dale Carrick – was injured meaning on-loan
striker Paul McCallum was leading the line.
Aberdeen took a sizeable travelling support to
Scotland’s capital city and the Dons wasted little time in posting their
intentions. After just five minutes, good play from Pawlett set up McGinn who
brought out a fine save from Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald. The ever-dangerous
Rooney then got away from his marker only to be thwarted by the Hearts keeper
before McGinn followed up his blocked free-kick with an effort from 20 yards
which went perilously close. It was all Aberdeen in the first half although
their fine play seemed to lack a cutting edge. They almost paid for this just
before half-time when Ryan Stevenson failed to connect properly with David
Smith’s cross and a rare chance for the home side was lost. Right on half-time,
Paul McCallum had the ball in the Aberdeen net but his challenge on Dons keeper
Langfield was deemed illegal by referee Kevin Clancy and the Englishman
received a booking for his trouble. Perhaps if he had been a Rangers player the
goal would have stood, bearing in mind the Ibrox side scored from a similar
situation against Albion Rovers in the Scottish Cup a few weeks back.
McCallum was replaced by Scott Robinson at
half-time with both sides looking to make the breakthrough after an entertaining
but ultimately goalless first half. The change seemed to energise Hearts with
Stevenson and Smith both having ambitious efforts on goal. Midway through the
second half, Hearts almost took the lead. A superb pass from Jason Holt found
Calum Paterson on the right. The big man surged past two Dons defenders before
firing in a ferocious shot from more than 20 yards which Dons keeper Langfield
did well to save.
Hearts were now in the ascendency and for the first
time in the evening it was the Dons who were on the back foot. However, with 20
minutes to go, Hearts were deflated when captain Danny Wilson pulled back a
Dons player on the edge of the penalty box and received his second yellow card
of the evening. An early bath for the skipper and things went from bad to worse
for the home side when Flood fired home the resultant free-kick to give the
Dons the lead, much to the delight of the travelling support in the Roseburn
Stand.
Hearts though, as so often this season, refused to
throw in the towel. With seven minutes left they were handed the chance on a
plate to equalise when Ryan Stevenson pounced on an error from the Dons defence
in the penalty area but, with an open goal to aim at, the former Ayr United
player failed to hit the target. Stevenson fell to the ground with his head in
his hands and the home support wailed in anguish. That seemed to be the final
nail in Hearts relegation coffin. However, this battling Hearts team had other
ideas.
With just four minutes to go, the tireless Calum
Paterson ran through the Aberdeen defence only to be brought down by Logan in
the penalty box. Penalty said the referee and Jamie Hamill, who had driven his
team on all night, coolly sent the ball past Langfield to give Hearts a
deserved share of the spoils.
The atmosphere at the end of the game was one of
high emotion. Hearts aren’t relegated yet – but they can only match St. Mirren’s
28 points. Gary Locke’s side must win all of their six remaining games while
praying the Paisley Saints lose all of theirs. As Locke said in the programme
prior to the game this isn’t going to happen. But Hearts are at least going
down fighting.
Locke was proud of his players
afterwards. “First half I thought Aberdeen played
well” said the manager. “I felt we had to make the change at half-time to get
ourselves back in the game because we weren't getting enough of the ball. But,
credit to the boys again. I thought they were absolutely brilliant, every one
of them.
“While we’ve got Partick Thistle on Saturday, the main focus for the
club is Monday.”
Locke was referring to the potentially crucial creditors meeting between
Ukio Bankas and UBIG, where it is hoped a deal will be agreed to save Hearts
from liquidation. Locke, like every other Hearts fan, is keeping his fingers
crossed. “We just hope that we can get a good result Saturday, then Monday's
the big day for us and hopefully all goes well there as well,"
Hearts: MacDonald; Paterson, McGowan, Wilson, McHattie;
Hamill, Stevenson, Holt; Smith, McCallum, Nicholson
Aberdeen: Langfield, Logan, Anderson, Reynolds, Considine,
Jack, Flood, Robson, Pawlett, Rooney, McGinn.
Referee: Kevin Clancy
Att: 13,913
Top man: Jamie Hamill – he may not be the most gifted of
footballers but no one can beat his sheer drive and determination.
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