Heart of Midlothian 5 Kilmarnock 0

SPFL Premiership, Sunday 4 May 2014 – Tynecastle

Hearts continued their recent excellent form by hitting a hapless Kilmarnock team for five at Tynecastle on Sunday. A week ago, the Maroons were celebrating yet another Edinburgh derby after winning 2-1 at Easter Road. The celebrations this time were equally enthusiastic as Gary Locke’s men exacted revenge and them some on a Killie team who won 4-0 on their last visit to Gorgie on Boxing Day.

It’s a sign of the upsurge in recent Hearts performances that the experienced Jamie Hamill, who was suspended for the Hibs game, could only find a place on the substitutes’ bench as Gary Locke opted for an unchanged line-up. Killie, managed by former Hearts favourite Allan Johnston, have a decent record at Tynecastle and they knew a win would lift them above Hibs in the league table.

However, it was Hearts who began the game with fervour with the ever-dangerous Dale Carrick creating the game’s first chance before Ryan Stevenson got on the end of a cross from Callum Paterson only to see Killie keeper Samson save well.

Hearts had begun the game with style and their adventure was rewarded after 11 minutes. The impressive Sam Nicholson was fouled on the edge of the Killie penalty box. Ryan Stevenson fired the subsequent free-kick through a ruck of players and into the net to give the home side the lead.

Hearts continued to drive forward with the visiting defence being pulled apart at times. It was inevitable Hearts would double their lead and they duly did after 23 minutes. Delightful play from Nicholson and Carrick set up Stevenson and his shot from the edge of the penalty box flew past Samson. 2-0 to Hearts.

Killie’s Kris Boyd, so often the scourge of Hearts, nearly pulled one back for the visitors but Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald pulled off a fine save to deny the former Rangers and Scotland striker. Another goal did arrive before half-time but it was for the dominant home side. Billy King set off on a run before delivering a superb cross for Stevenson to poke the ball past Samson to complete his hat-trick. The Hearts players left the field at half-time to a standing ovation as well as a comfortable 3-0 lead.

The second half took on the same pattern as the first with Hearts dominating proceedings. Stevenson came close to adding his and Hearts fourth with a shot that hit the post before the goal-hero became goal-maker ten minutes into the second half with a superb pass to Billy King who raced clear and fire the ball home. 4-0 to Hearts.

Just four minutes later it was 5-0. Stevenson again fired in a cross across the Killie goal where Callum Paterson had raced to steer the ball home. There was still more than half an hour to play and Hearts were already 5-0 up. It was a quite incredible afternoon.

Killie managed to tighten things up for the final half an hour and while Hearts were still dominant, there endeth the scoring.

It was, without question, Hearts best performance of the season. Manager Gary Locke was understandably delighted.

"It was a great result, great performance," said the man who once played for Kilmarnock. "We've been threatening to do that for a few weeks and I'm delighted. You can see the youngsters have learned from their mistakes. They're getting better with confidence. Everybody wanted the ball and I thought we played some great stuff today. I'm really happy for the fans because that's the type of performance their support deserves."

Ironically, Hearts demolishing of Kilmarnock was a boost to Hibernian who remain above the Ayrshire side in the league table. Despite the doom and gloom at Easter Road, on the evidence of this afternoon, it’s Kilmarnock who look most likely to be involved in the end-of-season play-offs – ironically, against Queen of the South who Allan Johnston left last season to head to Rugby Park.

Hearts entertain Partick Thistle on Wednesday evening at Tynecastle. Another performance like this will make the final home game of the season a special occasion.

Hearts: MacDonald; Paterson, McGowan, Wilson, McHattie; King, Robinson, Holt, Nicholson; Stevenson, Carrick

Kilmarnock: Samson, Tesselaar, Clingan, Boyd, Johnston, Barbour, McKenzie, Makismenko, Slater, Pascali, Muirhead

Referee: Calum Murray

Att: 13,656

Top man: Ryan Stevenson – hat-trick hero and tormentor in chief.

Kilmarnock 4 Heart of Midlothian 2

SPFL, Saturday 8 March 2014 – Rugby Park

It says much about this season that Hearts supporters travelled to Ayrshire on Saturday hoping their team would collect three points not so they could avoid demotion but more that the final nail in the relegation coffin wouldn’t be administered by bitter rivals Hibernian at Tynecastle at the end of this month. They left Rugby Park inevitably disappointed as Gary Locke’s side shipped four goals to Allan Johnston’s side for the second time this season and suffered a third straight loss to a team that had proved to be something of a bogey to Hearts in recent years.

Yet, as at Motherwell last Saturday, Hearts began the game brightly with Ryan Stevenson shooting wide and the Maroons looking lively on the counter-attack. However, it was the same old story of missed chances and defensive frailties for the Edinburgh side. After keeper Jamie MacDonald denied Ashcroft, the home side took the lead after 27 minutes when the always dangerous McKenzie sped down the right wing before firing in a cross which Hearts skipper Danny Wilson could only divert past his own goalkeeper.

Hearts, though, again demonstrated their battling qualities and equalised just three minutes later. Ashcroft’s attempts to usher the ball back to his goalkeeper failed miserably for the home side when Dale Carrick nipped in to send ball beyond Samson to level the score. At least the Hearts supporters had something to cheer at half-time with the score at 1-1.

Sadly, within six minutes of the re-start, Hearts were 3-1 down. First, ex-Killie defender Jamie Hamill was dispossessed by Boyd on the edge of the penalty box and the former Rangers and Scotland striker showed his experience to slip the ball past MacDonald.

Two minutes later, a mistake from Hearts Dylan McGowan proved costly and Boyd made the Australian suffer by shooting high into the net. It looked all over for Hearts at this stage but they were thrown a lifeline with 20 minutes to go when substitute Billy King passed to Sam Nicholson who despatched the ball beyond Samson to make it 3-2 and give some hope to the visiting support.

This hope lasted all of three minutes. Gardyne’s shot struck the Hearts crossbar but the Gorgie defenders could not clear their lines and when Tesselaar returned the ball to Gardyne this time the Killie player didn’t miss. 4-2 to the home side and while substitute Paul McCallum had the ball in the net in the dying stages his effort was ruled out for offside. Yet again Hearts returned to the capital city with nothing.

If Hearts were to win every one of their remaining nine games this would yield 27 points. Currently, the Maroons are 20 points adrift. The last rites on Hearts Premiership status will soon, if you’ll excuse the phrase, be administered…

Kilmarnock: Samson, Tesselaar, Boyd, Karlsson, Clohessy, McKenzie, Gardyne, O'Hara, Slater, Pascali, Ashcroft.

Hearts: MacDonald; McGhee, McGowan, Wilson, McHattie; Stevenson, Hamill, Robinson, Nicholson; Carrick, Paterson

Referee: Euan Norris

Att: 3,510

Top man: Sam Nicholson

 

50 Years Ago

 

 

When the draw was made for the sectional stage of the 1962/63 League Cup, it was doubtful if Hearts could have had a tougher group. Section A saw them grouped with both Dundee clubs and Celtic. Dundee now had Gordon Smith in their ranks, the great man having left Tynecastle for Dens Park. Despite Hearts impressive record in the League Cup - as well as their three triumphs, the Maroons lost the 1961 final to Rangers after a replay - there were those who doubted if an evolving Hearts team would make it past the group stages. Many of the players who played their part in Hearts dominance of Scottish football in the latter half of the 1950s such as Dave Mackay, Alex Young and the ‘Terrible Trio’ of Alfie Conn, Jimmy Wardhaugh and Willie Bauld were now no longer at Tynecastle.
 

Manager Tommy Walker was rebuilding his team and made a significant signing for season 1962/63 when he bought inside forward Willie Hamilton from Middlesbrough for the princely sum of £5,000. The term used nowadays for teams undergoing this process is ‘transitional’ and it certainly looked that way when Hearts lost their opening game in the League Cup, 3-1 away to Celtic. However, they then defeated both Dundee clubs and when Celtic came to Gorgie for the return game at Tynecastle, Hearts chances of qualifying from the section were very much alive. More than 31,000 spectators watched Hearts race into a three goal lead, including two goals from centre-forward Willie Wallace. However, this being Hearts, things are never straightforward and Celtic stormed back into the game with goals from Murdoch and Hughes, the latter being near the end of the game, thus ensuring an uncomfortable final three minutes for Hearts supporters. Hearts hung on for a memorable 3-2 win and, after losing their next game at Tannadice, defeated Dundee in their final group game to progress to a two-legged quarter final meeting with Morton. In the first leg at Cappielow, a Norrie Davidson double added to an own goal put Hearts in easy street and they duly completed the job in the return leg at Tynecastle 3-1 to go through 6-1 on aggregate. This meant a semi-final clash with St. Johnstone at Easter Road where a Willie Wallace hat-trick helped Tommy Walker’s men to a 4-0 win - and a fifth League Cup final appearance in eight years.
 

Their opponents in the final were Kilmarnock who was in the process of building a fine team of their own. A crowd of 51,280 headed to Hampden Park on 27 October 1962 to see if the Ayrshire team could break their League Cup duck - or if Hearts could win the trophy for a fourth time.
 

Hearts: Marshall; Polland; Holt; Cumming; Barry; Higgins; Wallace; Paton; Davidson; W, Hamilton; J. Hamilton
 

Kilmarnock: McLaughlan; Richmond; Watson; O’Connor; McGrory; Beattie; Brown; Black; Kerr; McInally; McIlroy
 

Referee: T. Wharton (Glasgow)

There was a pre-match blow for Killie when the hugely influential Davie Sneddon was ruled out with injury. However, this didn’t seem to affect them too much in the early stages when they dominated play.

 

Hearts made a nervous start. In the opening minutes, keeper Gordon Marshall tangled with Killie forward Black and ‘Iron Man’ John Cumming cleared the danger. Black threatened again shortly after and it seemed the Hearts players were struggling with the heavy Hampden pitch. It took the Maroons some time to make an impression with Norrie Davidson creating Hearts first real chance with a rasping 20 yard shot which Killie keeper McLaughlan tipped over. This encouraged Tommy Walker’s men and the enigmatic Willie Hamilton began to revel in the huge space that Hampden had to offer. In the 27^th minute, Willie Hamilton produced a piece of magic befitting a major cup final. Collecting a long ball from Willie Wallace, Hamilton deftly controlled the ball, skipped past Killie defender Jackie McGrory and raced in on goal. He looked up and delivered a glorious pass into the penalty box where Norrie Davidson thrashed the ball past McLaughlan to give Hearts the lead.

It was a brilliant goal, created by the magic of Hamilton and finished by the guile of Davidson. Against the run of play, it may have been, but it transformed the game and ’Hammy’ tormented the Killie defence thereafter, although Gordon Marshall had to save brilliantly from Frank Beattie, while Davie Holt made a crucial tackle on McIlroy following a slip from Roy Barry just before half time. Killie’s Jackie McInally – father of future Celtic and Bayern Munich player Alan – was injured during that first half. This was the era before substitutes, so McInally limped bravely on. Hearts took advantage, dominated much of the second half, and could – indeed should – have added to the one goal they had. Then, with just seconds remaining and the Hearts fans whistling at referee Tom ‘Tiny’ Wharton, urging him to blow for full time, Kilmarnock launched one last desperate attack. Richmond floated a free kick into the Hearts penalty box. Frank Beattie rose above everyone to head the ball past the flailing arms of Gordon Marshall and into the net. It appeared Kilmarnock had tied the game at the death. Blue and white shirted players forgot their tiredness and danced for joy. Hearts players slumped to the sodden Hampden pitch. However, referee Wharton was not signalling towards the centre circle. He was giving a free kick to Hearts. The referee had spotted an infringement that no one else appeared to have noticed. Furious Killie players urged the official to consult his linesman, which, to his credit, he did. Nevertheless, his decision remained the same. Free kick to Hearts. Wharton believed Beattie had handled the ball as the cross came in.

Seconds later, Wharton blew his whistle for the end of the game. Hearts had won the Scottish League Cup for the fourth time in eight years, their seventh major trophy since 1954. Triumphant Hearts headed back to the capital for a night of celebration. It had been mighty close but Hearts had proved they were winners once again!

Twitter @Mike 1874

Hearts 50 Greatest Games, is available in all good books

Heart of Midlothian 0 Kilmarnock 2

Clydesdale Bank SPL, Saturday 5 March 2011 - Tynecastle

There has been talk recently of the Old Firm leaving Scottish football and trying their luck in England. I suspect I'm not the only person who would welcome such a move. However, after their second win at Tynecastle this season, may I respectfully suggest Kilmarnock also move out of Scottish football - I, for one, am sick of the sight of the men from Ayrshire...

Last October, Killie came to Tynecastle, played Hearts off the park and thoroughly deserved their 3-0 victory. Today, the match was a much more even affair but Hearts could not make their territorial advantage in the first half pay and, inevitably, paid the price. After last week's dour display at Aberdeen, Hearts sprang out the Tynecastle traps and in an impressive opening period had chances to score through Bouzid, Skacel and Templeton, the latter seeing his looping header bounce off the woodwork with Killie keeper Jaakkola well beaten. Killie looked dangerous on the break and after weathering the storm came more into the game and Pascali should have done better with a free header which he out wide.

Hearts hopes of making an early break through at the beginning of the second half were in tatters when the visitors took the lead with a fine goal in the 50th minute. Silva ran at the Hearts defence from the halfway line and with no challenge from a home defender forthcoming, the Portugese player drove the ball past an unprotected Marian Kello to give Killie the lead. Six minutes later Eremenko played a one-two with the aforementioned Silva and finished clinically to double the visitors' lead. There was more than half an hour still to play but Hearts fans had seen it all before and we knew there was no way back even after Killie were reduced to ten men when Eremenko was shown a straight red card for raising his hands to Zaliukas.

Strangely, Hearts played better than they did last week at Pittodrie but ended up with nothing. Then again, Killie are a different proposition to Aberdeen - it's staggering to think they lost 5-0 in the Granite City a few weeks back. However, Hearts lack of depth in their squad is beginning to show. They have struggled since they lost Kevin Kyle to injury a few weeks ago. Inexplicably, Jim Jefferies opted for Calum Elliot up front today - the laddie does his best but, frankly, it's nowhere near good enough. KK would rumble defences up but Calum is not the same imposing figure and is easily bundled off the ball. Hearts also missed Lee Wallace and Andy Webster while Andrew Driver didn't even make it off the bench today.

The gap between Hearts and Killie is now down to 13 points but Jim Jefferies men should still be good enough to take third place - and a place in next season's Europa League. But the style the maroons displayed earlier this season has sadly gone AWOL - they need to find it again sooner rather than later.

Heart of Midlothian 0 Kilmarnock 3

Clydesdale Bank SPL, Sunday 31 October 2010 - Tynecastle

Hearts chose Halloween to produce a horror show in front of their own supporters this afternoon. They looked out of sorts right from kick-off and the good form they produced eight days ago against St. Mirren was left behind in the dressing room as they fell to another defeat at Tynecastle which is fast becoming a free-for-all rather than a fortress.

The first half was fairly even without either goalkeeper being overly troubled. However, the visitors went ahead on the stroke of half-time when Fraser Wright outjumped Zaliukas to head Hamill's free-kick past Kello. Killie, with the impressive Taouil dictating midfield, just about deserved their half-time lead.

Hearts threw on Templeton and Stephen Elliott for Barr and Calum Elliot at the start of the second half and were dominant for a ten minute period without looking like scoring. Killie weathered the storm and found it easier to pass the ball than the home team who, not for the first time, resorted to lumping the ball towards the ineffective Kevin Kyle when things went against them. Killie underlined their superiority with two late goals from Sammon and Eremenko and the home team trooped off the park to a cacophony of boos - from those Hearts fans who hadn't departed when the third goal went in with eight minutes to go.

Take nothing away from Kilmarnock. They played well and thoroughly deserved their victory. They passed the ball better and threatened to score more than the three goals they got. For Hearts, Stephen Elliott, Marius Zaliukas and David Templeton at least had attempts on goal - but to no avail.

Thus, Hearts passed on the opportunity to move into third place in the SPL. Which was just about the only thing they passed all day. There is perhaps one silver lining. I was feeling quite confident about Hearts chances in the Edinburgh derby next Sunday. Now, I'm anything but...

Killie Me Softly

The managing director at my place of work is a Kilmarnock fan. I’m tempted to say the Kilmarnock fan but I don’t quite fancy the prospect of seeing my P45 sitting on my desk on Monday morning. Therefore, I won’t. In any case, Killie usually take a sizeable support through to Tynecastle so intimating the boss might be sitting on his ownsome in the Roseburn Stand on Sunday would be a tad harsh. One might also have a case for saying supporters of a certain vintage of both clubs can relate to certain similarities in Ayrshire and the west end of Edinburgh in recent years.

Since the days my MD and I began following our respective teams there have been many highs and lows. More lows, admittedly, particularly if you’re an aficionado of the Killie Boys (sorry, boss)

Both teams have endured relegation and gone through the relief of promotion. I could point out that Killie fell as low as the Third Division at one point but I suspect a retort from those in blue and white would be that their team denied Hearts promotion on the last day of season 1981/82 by thrashing Queen of the South 6-0 while Hearts were losing at home to Motherwell. And while I’m on the subject of last day scenarios, I should say I’m thankful I was wasn’t at Tynecastle on the final day of season 1964/65 when Hearts and Killie met for the league title decider. Hearts would have been champions as long as they didn’t lose by two goals or more. Inevitably, given Hearts penchant for snatching despair from the jaws of triumph, the maroons proceeded to lose 2-0 and thereby handed the league championship to Kilmarnock. I was only three years old at the time so I recall nothing of the events of that day but the Tynecastle history books say it did happen and the devastation Hearts fans felt that day would be re-enacted at Dens Park twenty one years later…

Tommy McLean, a winger of some note in the 1960s and 70s began his career at Kilmarnock before moving to Rangers and then beginning a successful managerial career - although his year in charge of Hearts in 1994/95 was somewhat less than glorious. Both Kilmarnock and Hearts are among the handful of clubs outwith the Old Firm to have lifted the Scottish Cup in last twenty years - and they did it in successive years, Killie in 1997 and Hearts a year later. Allan Johnston, Gary Locke, Grant Murray, Gary McSwegan and now Kevin Kyle are among the players who have pulled on both the blue and white and the maroon and white. And, of course, there are Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown who were at Hearts, left for Bradford and returned to Scotland with Kilmarnock - before coming home to Hearts again earlier this year.

The reason I admit to having a wee soft spot for Kilmarnock is that I recall some ding-dong affairs between Hearts and Killie over the years. I have to confess to not having visited Rugby Park on too many occasions. My first trip was to see Hearts secure a 2-1 Scottish Cup win in 1996 when Neil Berry, of all people, scored the winner - I still recall the bemused look on his face when he poked home the winner. He could scarcely be called a prolific scorer but ‘Chuck’s job was to prevent goals, not score them. Another occasion was towards the end of season 2002/03 when Craig Levein was Hearts manager and the maroons had Austin McCann and Andy Webster sent off during a defeat at Rugby Park. Levein’s comments that he lost count of the number of mistakes referee Dougie Mcdonald made after ninety seven incurred the wrath of the SFA and the big Fifer was fined, a penalty that became more severe the number of times he refused to pay it.

Tynecastle has not been without its Hearts-Killie thrillers either. During Jim Jefferies first spell in charge of Hearts, the maroons were flying high in season 1997/98. When Kilmarnock came to Gorgie in November 1997 there ensued one of the best games I’ve seen in more than four decades as a Jambo when a Stephane Adam hat trick inspired Hearts to a thrilling 5-3 win. It was a breathtaking game and Killie, inspired by the veteran Pat Nevin, contributed to a magnificent spectacle.

So, can we expect something similar tomorrow? Well, I suspect we won’t get another 5-3 thriller. However, we will get two teams keen to play a passing game and with the travelling support no doubt eager to show their appreciation to Messrs Jefferies, Brown, Locke and Kyle (okay, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit) the atmosphere should be highly charged.

As it usually is for Hearts-Kilmarnock games. Now, if my boss is reading this, about that pay rise…

Heart of Midlothian 1 Kilmarnock 0

Clydesdale Bank SPL - Saturday 10 April 2010 - Tynecastle

Edinburgh was bathed in sunshine today as spring finally appeared to have sprung. This encouraged 14,000 fans to head to Tynecastle to see if Hearts could secure the single point required to take their place at the SPL End of Season Top Six Banquet. In the end Hearts got all three points and so will face the Old Firm and Edinburgh's lesser team - presently in self-destruct mode - one more time before the season finally comes to an end.

Hearts injury list is such that they were again missing several players for today's game against Jim Jefferies former side. In fact one wondered if the watching Vladimir Romanov may have fancied putting on a pair of boots - he would probably have done more than the bungling Christian Nade who made a rare appearance in Jefferies team today. It's fair to say most of the frustrated home support wished he hadn't...

The only goal of a quite awful game came after half an hour when Suso Santana drove the ball home from an angle just inside the penalty box. Ironically the goal came at a time when Hearts were down to ten men, Andrew Driver sucummbing to what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Jimmy Calderwood's Kilmarnock offered little threat other than the aptly named James Fowler who appeared to kick everything in sight - and get away with it. The referee wasn't helped by the assistant who ran the line in front of the Wheatfield Stand and gave the impression he was watching a different game entirely, much to the disgust of the home fans...

Top six it is then for Hearts who are now just six points off free-falling Hibernian in fourth place. And there is still one more Edinburgh derby to come...

Jim Jefferies Leaves Kilmarnock

So farewell then, Jim Jefferies who has left the managerial post at Kilmarnock 'by mutual consent'. It would appear the former Berwick Rangers, Falkirk, Hearts and Bradford City manager had reached an impasse with Killie chairman Michael Johnston and a parting of the ways was inevitable. Jefferies assistant and managerial right hand man Billy Brown has also departed Rugby Park.

It seems Killie fans are split about the news. When Johnston announced the news at a supporters meeting on Monday evening some reacted with applause, others remained silent. I've heard the phrase 'he'd taken the club as far as he could' mentioned and there seems certain similarities between Jefferies departure from Ayrshire and his leaving Hearts a decade ago.

As a Hearts player in the 1970s. Jefferies had somewhat limited ability although his commitment to the club he supported as well as captained was never in doubt. When his managerial career inevitably took him to Tynecastle in 1995 he instigated a five year period that brought much yearned success for the maroons. Throughout season 1997-98, Hearts played the best football I've ever seen at Tynecastle and were very close to snatching the league title from Celtic and Rangers. There were some stunning displays that season and perhaps only a lack of strength in depth in the squad as the campaign reached its crucial phase denied Hearts the ultimate glory.

They did, however, win the Scottish Cup in 1998 defeating Rangers 2-1 in the final to end thirty-six years of hurt. I shall never forget that season or the weekend of the cup final when thousands of Hearts fans dreams came true.

Ironically, it was when Jefferies was given some money to spend on players thanks to the ill-fated SMG 'investment' in Hearts a year later that doubts were raised. Jefferies paid £400k for goalkeeper Antti Neimi - a great piece of business - but also paid over-priced fees on players such as Gordan Petric, Lee Makel and Leigh Jenkinson. A year after Hearts won the Scottish Cup they flirted dangerously with relegation - they went three months without a win and several games without even scoring - before the return of injury stricken Colin Cameron and the signing of Darren Jackson turned things around.

I hope Jim Jefferies finds another managerial post soon. It won't be easy as former Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood has discovered. But Jefferies is too decent a manager to be out of the game for long. I wish him and Billy Brown all the very best.

Kilmarnock Win the League Title 1965

Jubilant Kilmarnock players celebrate the clinching of the Scottish League Championship following a dramatic last day victory over title rivals Hearts at Tynecastle in 1965. Hearts needed only to avoid losing 2-0 to the Ayrshire men to ensure they won the league for the second time in five years. However, goals from Davie Sneddon and Brian McIlroy ensured Kilmarnock got the two goal win they required to leave the Hearts fans in the near forty thousand crowd at Tynecastle stunned.

Killie had won the title at the end of season 1964-65 on goal average, something a bitter Tynecastle club sought to change two years later. Had the present day goal difference been used then Hearts would have been crowned champions.

It was perhaps typical of Hearts luck that twenty-one years later they also lost the league title on the final day of the season when they lost 2-0 at Dundee. Goal difference meant Celtic's five goal thrashing of St. Mirren the same day saw the league flag fly over Celtic Park. Had the goal average system of 1965 still been in place in 1986, Hearts would have been champions...