SPFL
Premiership, Wednesday 7 May 2014 – Tynecastle
There are many teams for
whom the end of the season can’t come quick enough. It’s somewhat ironic,
therefore, that Hearts – whose season never really began thanks to the 15
points taken away from at the start of the league campaign – are wishing the season
could carry on and on.
Having demolished Kilmarnock
5-0 in Gorgie on Sunday, Hearts made a couple of changes from that side.
Hat-trick hero Ryan Stevenson was injured while goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald –
named Hearts Player of the Year at the weekend – was rested with young Mark
Ridgers given another chance to impress in goal.
Partick Thistle arrived in
Edinburgh knowing a victory would boost their chances of avoiding the dreaded
relegation play-off. However, it was Hearts who started the brighter of the two
teams.
After just 15 minutes the
home side took the lead when Callum Paterson ran fully 25 yards before rifling
home a superb effort past Thistle keeper Gallacher to put Hearts ahead, much to
the delight of the huge home support.
Three minutes later, young
Billy King collected Dale Carrick’s brilliant pass but his effort on goal was
high and wide. It was a miss Hearts would rue as Thistle grabbed an equaliser
after half an hour. A long ball forward found Taylor who held off the attention
of Danny Wilson to slot home.
However, with half-time
approaching, Hearts regained their lead when Kevin McHattie’s fine free-kick
was met by the head of Wilson and the Hearts captain nodded the Maroons back in
front. 2-1 to the home side at half-time.
Thistle thought they had
equalised early in the second half but Taylor’s effort was deemed offside. The equalising
goal was merely delayed though. After 51 minutes, a brilliant long-range effort
from fully 30 yards from Fraser restored parity.
It was a rip-roaring game
and McHattie and Taylor both had chances to put their respective teams ahead.
Midway through the second half, Thistle did take the lead when Mair headed home
following a corner. 3-2 to Thistle and this became 4-2 five minutes later when
Higginbotham fired the ball past Mark Ridgers, much to the delight of the
travelling Thistle support. The final score was 4-2 to the Jags.
Thistle’s victory means they
will remain in the SPFL Premiership next season. Hibernian will slug it out
with Kilmarnock at Easter Road on Saturday with a winner-takes-all scenario to
avoid the relegation play-off. In fact, a draw will be enough for Killie
meaning Easter Road won’t be a place for the faint-hearted.
So Hearts ended their final
home league fixture of the season with a disappointing result, a reversal of
the score when they won at Firhill in April. We all knew Hearts were likely to
go down this season but at least the team gave their support much to look
forward to with their displays in recent weeks. A special mention too, for a
special support. More than 14,000 turned up at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening.
At the end they chanted ‘We’ll Support You Ever More’. No one can be in any
doubt they will.
Hearts: Ridgers, Paterson,
McGowan, Wilson, McHattie, King, Holt, Hamill, Robinson, Nicholson, Carrick. .
Partick: Gallacher,
McMillan, Mair, Balatoni, Sinclair, Elliot, Fraser, Bannigan, Higginbotham,
Craigen, Taylor.
Referee: Crawford Allan
Att: 14,059
Top man: Kevin McHattie
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