Heart of Midlothian 0 Motherwell 1

SPFL, Saturday 11 January 2014 – Tynecastle

Hearts plea to the SPFL to lift the signing embargo imposed on them will be heard by the Hampden suits early next week. Desperate times call for desperate measures and if anyone was in any doubt about how desperate Hearts are, they need only have been at Tynecastle Stadium on Saturday.

With sources depleted, Gary Locke was again struggling to field a team with Callum Tapping the latest injury problem added to a list that already contained Danny Wilson, Jason Holt and Mark Ridgers. Tapping had been struggling with a bug all week but such is the casualty list at Tynecastle, the former Tottenham Hotspur player was named as a substitute. Defender Kevin McHattie started the game not fully fit and it was a gamble that didn’t pay off as the youngster was forced to leave the field after an hour. Locke also opted for Jamie Walker to sit alongside Tapping on the bench meaning a rare start for Dale Carrick.

Watching Hearts this season, particularly at Tynecastle, has been akin to watching the film Groundhog Day – it’s the same recurring nightmare, except on a fortnightly basis rather than a daily one. Certainly the beleaguered supporters must have been thinking ‘here we go again’ after just two minutes when Jordan McGhee sliced his attempted clearance and the ball seemed to spinning towards the Hearts net for the opening goal. However, as he has been so often this season, keeper Jamie MacDonald pushed the ball away and the majority of the near 13,000 crowd - another mightily impressive attendance given what’s going on in Gorgie this season – heaved a sigh of relief.

While there was plenty of effort on show, chances were few and far between for either team. Motherwell’s Ainsworth had a couple of chances, one of which produced another fine save from Jamie Mac. However, the keeper was unable to prevent the visitors taking the lead five minutes before half time. Former Hearts striker John Sutton moved on to a through pass and fired home from a tight angle - albeit there was a deflection from Hearts Dylan McGowan - to give The Steelmen the lead. As the Hearts players trooped off the field at half time a goal down, it was difficult to see where the equalising goal would come from.

There may have been a few words of ‘advice’ from Gary Locke at the break because Hearts looked a much more determined side in the second half. Ryan Stevenson’s cross-come-shot smacked off the crossbar before the industrious David Smith’s 30 yard effort tested Motherwell keeper Neilsen. This seemed to inspire the home team who began to dominate the game.

Stevenson had another effort from 25 yards which Neilsen pushed over the bar before substitute Jamie Walker fired in a shot which was just over. Hearts continued to push forward and the home crowd were encouraged by their team at least looking threatening. However, the visitors were always dangerous on the counter-attack and Anier’s effort on goal was well saved by MacDonald who then denied Sutton the chance of a second goal a few minutes later.

Hearts best chance came late in the game when Stevenson’s cross landed at the feet of Jamie Hamill but the former Kilmarnock player couldn’t control the ball and his effort on goal was blocked by the Motherwell defence.

When Hearts were denied a late penalty claim when the ball appeared to strike the arm of a Motherwell defender, the home support realised it was to be another day with no goals and no points.

Hearts are now 20 points adrift at the foot of the league. Their appeal to the SPFL for clemency will be heard on Monday. It’s unlikely to succeed. In any case, even if Hearts signed Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, the deficit is too great now to save this great club from demotion.

Hearts: MacDonald; McGhee, McKay, McGowan, McHattie, Paterson, Hamill, Robinson, Smith, Carrick, Stevenson.

Motherwell: Nielsen, Hammell, Ramsden, Hutchinson, McManus, McFadden, Sutton, Vigurs, Lasley, Carswell, Ainsworth.

Referee: Willie Collum

Att: 12,888

Top man: Jamie MacDonald – again.

Heart of Midlothian 0 Partick Thistle 2

SPFL, Sunday 5 January 2014 – Tynecastle

2013 was a miserable year for Hearts and their supporters. A host of experienced players left the club, there was huge disappointment in losing the League Cup final to St. Mirren in March and the club plunged into administration in June. The latter incident had huge ramifications with Hearts beginning season 2013/14 with a 15 point deduction in the SPFL – a handicap they’ve been unable to overcome thus far.

2014 hasn't started any better – defeat in the Edinburgh derby from Hibernian at Easter Road on just the second day of the year. With the gap at the foot of the SPFL Premiership table widening instead of reducing and relegation for the first time in over 30 years now a near certainty for Hearts, it was a somewhat disillusioned Hearts support who trudged along to Tynecastle for the first home game of the year.

True to form of late, Hearts produced another dismal performance as Partick Thistle easily recorded their first win at Tynecastle since 1995 thanks to first half goals from Taylor and Taylor-Sinclair.

Hearts were without the suspended Jamie Hamill with David Smith finding a starting place following his decent showing at Easter Road on Thursday. Skipper Danny Wilson was still out, a huge blow coupled with Hamill’s enforced absence.

After an early chance for the home side - Ryan Stevenson’s effort couldn’t get past Thistle keeper Fox – it was an unlucky 13^th minute for Hearts as the visitors took the lead. A long ball should have been dealt with by home defender Dylan McGowan but he was easily muscled out by Taylor who poked the ball past Jamie MacDonald from six yards. The groans from the frustrated home support told its own story.

Ryan Stevenson had a half-hearted effort on goal after 35 minutes but, if truth be told, it was a poor game with neither side looking as if they could string more than two passes together. Six minutes before half time, Thistle doubled their lead. From a corner kick, Taylor-Sinclair had the freedom of Gorgie Road to head home and put the Jags 2-0 ahead at half time.

There was at least some improvement from Hearts in the second half although given their woeful first half display this was hardly difficult. David Smith produced a fine cross after the restart which Stevenson headed just over before Callum Tapping hit the crossbar from 30 yards out. Despite a better showing, Hearts just could not find a way past the Thistle defence even when the visitors were reduced to ten men nine minutes from the end when Bannigan was shown a second yellow card by referee Iain Brines.

The game ended with a cacophony of boos from those Hearts fans who stayed until the end of the game. Their loyalty to their club shows no sign of abating – the attendance of 13,763 at Tynecastle was 5,000 more than any other SPFL game this weekend – but even the diehard fans now realise the writing is on the wall for Hearts hopes of defying the odds and remaining in the top flight of Scottish football. Hearts manager Gary Locke seemed to acknowledge this after the final whistle.

 “It was a sore one to take” said the Hearts boss. “I’ve said to the players we need to play for 90 minutes not just for 45. There’s no doubt we’re up against it but I won’t accept relegation until it’s mathematically impossible to avoid. But we can’t afford to feel sorry for ourselves. We have another game next week and we’ll need to defend better. That first half performance today was just unacceptable.”

Hearts: MacDonald; McGhee, McKay, McGowan, McHattie; Smith, Tapping, Robinson, Walker, Stevenson, Paterson

Partick Thistle: Fox, O'Donnell, Taylor-Sinclair, Muirhead, Balatoni, Craigen, Bannigan, Lawless, Piccolo, Taylor, Higginbotham

Referee: Iain Brines

Att: 13,763

Top man: David Smith

 

 

That Was The Year That Was

So farewell, then, 2013. To say last year wasn’t the best in the long, proud history of Heart of Midlothian FC is like saying Ryan Stevenson is fond of a tattoo. If you’re like me you’ll have had your full of reviews of the year just gone by. But before I consume the last drop of that bottle of malt whisky from Aunt Ann (thanks, Ann!) and I throw out that half finished packet of shortbread, permit me, if you will, to share my highlights – and lowlights – of 2013.

Best moment – 2013 began in positive fashion, despite a heavy defeat from Celtic. Hearts defeated Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the semi-final of the League Cup and I remember walking to my home in Leith from Easter Road on a high. There was another cup final to look forward to. However, my favourite moment of 2013 was when Hearts, stranded at foot of the SPFL thanks to a 15 point deduction for going into administration during the summer, defeated Hibernian 1-0 at Tynecastle in August. Callum Paterson’s fine header to secure three valuable points put the gas of the goading visiting support at a low peep!

Emotional High – In a similar vein to the aforementioned victory over Hibernian, Hearts 2-1 victory over Aberdeen at Tynecastle a fortnight later brought a lump to my throat. Hearts had been reduced to ten men when Kevin McHattie was red-carded and with Dons pressing hard for a winner with the game delicately poised at 1-1, Hearts were awarded a free-kick a minute from the end. When young Jordan McGhee headed the winner, there was pandemonium at Tynecastle. Gary Locke’s boys had reduced the deficit at the bottom of the league to just nine points and we were still in August. I left Tynecastle that day with tears in my eyes as I genuinely felt this young Hearts team would produce one of the greatest escape acts ever.

Victory Against All Odds – When Hearts were paired with Hibernian in the quarter final of the League Cup at Easter Road in October, there was no shortage of Hibbies telling me their side would exact revenge for the 5-1 Scottish Cup Final hammering of 2012. Hibs seemed to be recovering after a slow start to the season while Hearts had slipped into reverse gear. Despite this, the away end at Easter Road was packed but it was all Hibs in the opening 25 minutes with Hearts goalkeeper supreme Jamie MacDonald pulling off a couple of breath-taking saves to keep the home side at bay. Then, having been barely able to get out of their own half, Hearts scored the only goal of the game thanks to a stunning effort from Ryan Stevenson. I walked home on air that night. Strangely, my Leith neighbours mostly seemed to be in their beds – the Leith Jambos, however, were having a party…

Lowest Point – Hearts 7-0 defeat from Celtic in the William Hill Scottish Cup tie at Tynecastle last month. No more needs to be said…

Funniest Moment – ‘Paterson’ growled auld Bill who sits next to me in the Wheatfield Stand, ‘you might as well be sitting next tae me, ya lazy big galoot’ before the Hearts centre forward spun in the penalty box and fired a brilliant shot past the Ross County goalkeeper to level the score. ‘Ach, Calum, well played son, you’re bloody brilliant!’ shouts Bill who has more faces than the toon clock…

Great Unexpectations – When Hearts went a goal behind at Aberdeen in November, the huge travelling support collectively crossed their arms and thought ‘here we go again’. But when the Dons had Barry Robson sent off, the young Hearts stormed back to win 3-1 in the Granite City, arguably Hearts best result of the season thus far.

Biggest disappointment – The League Cup final with St. Mirren in March was a disappointing day pretty much from start to finish. Most of us had hopes of Hearts lifting their second trophy in ten months but a repeat of the hammering of the Hibees was never going to happen. In stark contrast to that game, the League Cup final was on a Sunday, it was teeming with rain for most of the day and it was standing room only on the train back from Glasgow – what seems like the longest journey in the world when you’re going via Shotts. And, if course, Hearts lost…

Hope in our Hearts – Despite the anguish felt for much of the year, Hearts supporters can take solace in the emergence of some of the brightest young talent in Scotland. The likes of Jamie Walker, Calum Paterson, Brad McKay, Kevin McHattie and Jordan McGhee have bright futures. Hope remains strong that Hearts can exit administration before the end of the season and, with a bit of luck, an experienced head or two can be added to the squad during the summer. We may be playing in the Championship next season but, debt free and with big games against Rangers fuelling the imagination, I believe the fans will continue their fantastic support and continue to back the team in their droves. I’m old enough to recall the first time Hearts were relegated in 1977 and the magnificent backing the supporters gave the club the following season. I sense this again. We may have to suffer some pain in the months ahead but I firmly believe that this time next year a vibrant, new-look Hearts will be fighting it out with Rangers for promotion back to the SPFL.

Happy New Year, folks – and, as someone once said, believe!

 

Eusebio

Portugal football legend Eusebio, who was top scorer at the 1966 World Cup, has died at the age of 71. Born in Mozambique in 1942 when it was still a Portuguese colony, Eusebio da Silva Ferreira went on to play 64 times for Portugal, scoring 41 goals.

The Benfica striker's nine goals at the 1966 World Cup in England included four against North Korea. Widely considered one of the best players of all-time, he scored 733 times in 745 professional matches.  He had been admitted to hospital several times over the past year for the treatment of heart and respiratory problems.

Famed for his blistering acceleration and dazzling dribbling skills, Eusebio was named European Footballer of the Year in 1965. He won the European Cup with Benfica in 1962 and was in the side that lost to Manchester United in the 1968 Wembley final.

Eusebio enjoyed 10 league championship victories and five Portuguese cup triumphs in his 15 years at the club and was Portugal's top league scorer seven times. Eusebio's goals in the 1966 World Cup helped his country to third place, after they were beaten by eventual winners England in the semi-finals.

Portugal won all of their group games as title holders Brazil were eliminated in the first round, and Eusebio starred in a dramatic 5-3 win over North Korea in the quarter-finals, with his four goals helping his side come back from 3-0 down.

Portugal went on to lose 2-1 in the last four to England, with Eusebio in tears as he left the pitch at the end of the game. But he had captured the hearts of the British public and his figure was soon added to Madame Tussaud's waxwork collection.

Eusebio continued to play at the highest level until 1974, but knee problems had already begun to slow him down. In 1975, he moved to the North American Soccer League and then returned to Portugal in 1976-77 to play for SC Beira Mar, before further spells in the USA and Mexico.

After his playing career ended, he was an ambassador for Benfica and Portuguese football.

From the BBC News website

Creature of Habit

 

 

My fiancée, the lovely Marion, remarked the other day that I was something of a creature of habit. I wasn’t entirely surprised by her less than complimentary comment as Saturday has always meant going to the Hearts game, something my first wife was only too keen to point out to anyone who would listen. Even when my two daughters were born, this didn’t change. Marion qualified her statement somewhat by opining that as Hearts weren’t playing last Saturday I was something like a fish out of water. However, it got me thinking about how predictable I’ve become by maintaining the ritual that is following the Hearts. For instance, here’s my schedule for a typical game at Tynecastle:

12.30      Arrive at The Station Tavern, Gorgie Road. Barmaid sees me arrive and instantly begins to pour a pint of foaming ale.

13.30      Three pints in and already there’s the first reference to how no one can lace Rab Prentice’s boots.

14.45   Leave the pub in a much more expectant mood than two hours previously.

14.50      Negotiate the steps up the Wheatfield Stand, trying to evade a middle aged woman bawling ‘Half Time Draw Tickets’ at the top of her voice. I get enough of women bawling at me…

15.00       Game kicks off with the last strains of Hector Nicol fading away.

15.05      First shout from the crowd urging the referee to go forth and multiply.

15.07      First comparison of said referee to famous biblical figure as in ‘Jesus Christ, ref!’

15.20      Callum Paterson’s attempt on goal likened to the contents of the overflowing urinal in the downstairs gents.

15.21      Member of Masonic Lodge of dubious parentage wearing luminous yellow shirt and struggling to keep up with play is identified as a Mr Collum…

15.40      Mass exodus of fans head for the toilet, pie, hot dog or any combination of the three in a usually failed attempt to beat the queues.

15.45      Half-time arrives – it’s generally agreed that football isn’t what it used to be as auld Bill and I remember our ‘heroes’ from a bygone age – in truth, these were players we used to hurl abuse at thirty and forty years ago.

15.55    Several hundred crumpled pieces of paper are collectively tossed into the air as the winning ticket for the half time draw is announced. My mate gets within ten thousand of the winning number. He’s rather sceptical as less than five thousand tickets were sold….

16.00    Second half kicks off to loud cheers – stadium announcer par excellence Scott Wilson announces that Hibs are two goals down at half-time.

16.02    The vast majority of those who sit in our section of the Wheatfield Stand return to their seats.

16.20      I remark that this game is tedious and has goalless draw written all over it. The forwards haven’t got a clue and Ryan Stevenson has done absolutely nothing of any significance. I make my view known that Mr Stevenson might well have sat next to us in the stand.

16.21      Ryan Stevenson scores a wonder goal from twenty-five yards after beating three men on the edge of the penalty box. I always knew he was liable to score a goal out of nothing. I make my view known that Stevenson is a valuable member of the team…

16.35   The part-time Hearts fans head for the exits. The fiftysomethings mutter something about having to pick up the wife from the Gyle Shopping Centre while those with kids argue their case for getting home in time to watch Ant and Dec…

16.40 Obligatory ‘how long is there to go’ question – particularly prevalent if Hearts are leading by a single goal.

16.45   The referee blows for full-time right on cue – unless the fourth official is Mr Brines who always adds three minutes of additional time (check this the next time he officiates at your team’s game) Hearts have scraped a victory and all’s well with the world. We join the cue for the exits.

17.02 We finally snake our way down the steps of the stand and head for The Station Tavern. The general consensus of opinion is that the game was rubbish, Hearts were rubbish and there must be better things to do on a Saturday afternoon.

See you next week then!

Happy New Year, readers…

 

St. Mirren 1 Heart of Midlothian 1

SPFL, Sunday 29 December 2013 – New St. Mirren Park

It’s become something of a habit while compiling match reports on Hearts games for the Edinburgh Reporter this season to convey the feelings of doom and gloom usually associated with what seems like recurring defeat. So it makes a pleasant change to report on Hearts not succumbing to a reversal in Paisley on Sunday, albeit they had to contend with one point rather than the very much needed three following a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Paisley.

After Boxing Day’s hapless performance against Kilmarnock, Hearts boss Gary Locke brought back Scott Robinson while there was an unexpected but very much welcome return for the experienced Ryan Stevenson who had been injured for the last three weeks. Locke made a few positional changes too, most notably with Jamie Hamill playing in midfield beside Callum Paterson.

If the changes in the Hearts line up were designed to produce a change in fortune such hopes were in tatters after just three minutes when St. Mirren took the lead. Former Hearts hero Danny Grainger crossed for Thompson to stab the ball home from just three yards out and it looked like another bad day at the office for the Maroons was on the cards.

It was Thompson who almost set up the Paisley Saints second goal when he fed Naismith whose effort was superbly saved by Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald. Hearts came close themselves after 22 minutes when, from a free-kick, Jamie Hamill set up young Jamie Walker but the winger’s effort went just wide. At the interval Hearts remained a goal down but there was no doubt their first half performance was an improvement on Thursday’s debacle at Tynecastle.

Suitably encouraged, Hearts began the second half and equalised in the xx minute. The home side looked to clear their lines from a Hearts attack but the ball fell to Jamie Hamill 25 yards from goal. The former Kilmarnock defender took it first time with his right foot and volleyed the ball into the net past former Hearts keeper Marian Kello for the equaliser. It was Hearts first goal in four games and brought rapturous applause from the visiting support.

The ever-dangerous Thompson then came close to putting the Buddies back in front before Scott Robinson tried to emulate Hamill but his effort from 30 yards looked destined for Paisley’s High Street. Jamie Walker then embarked on a mazy run but his effort on goal was wide of the target. After Ryan Stevenson came close with an ambitious overhead kick, Callum Paterson thought he had sealed a rare Hearts victory with a close range effort only to see Kello produce the kind of stupendous save that marked his all too brief career at Tynecastle.

In the end, Hearts had to settle for one point rather than three and, on the balance of play over 90 minutes, this was probably a fair result. Hearts are now on minus two points at the foot of the table, 13 behind Ross County who lost at Aberdeen.

Afterwards, Hearts boss Gary Locke praised his beleaguered players. "I thought, second-half especially, it was an outstanding performance," Locke told BBC Radio Scotland.

"We asked for a better performance than the other day and I think the players responded in the right manner."

It may be fanciful to suggest Hearts might have cut the deficit to seven points by this time next week – particularly with a trip to Easter Road for the Edinburgh Derby on Thursday – but it’s a lifebelt of hope to cling on to.

St Mirren: Kello, Naismith, McAusland, Newton, Kelly, Goodwin, McGregor, McGinn, Thompson, McGowan, Grainger.

Hearts: MacDonald; McGowan, McKay, Wilson, McHattie; Robinson, Hamill, Paterson, Tapping; Walker, Stevenson.

Referee: Kevin Clancy

Att: 4,568

Top man: Jamie Hamill – what a strike for Hearts equaliser!

Absence Makes the Hearts...er...

I've not been updating this site as much as I would have liked in recent weeks. This is partly due to my involvement with The Edinburgh Reporter website.

However, I aim to put this right for 2014.

No, come back, come back......