17th December 2018 Hearts reserves v Rangers reserves 2-1

I did not go to Hearts debacle at Livingston on Friday night. Weather was miserable and with game on BT Sport I decided to watch it at home. It was an appalling display and just when I thought things could not get any worse it did and Livingston finally won 5-0 scoring all their goals in the last twenty minutes. On Saturday I was going to go to Bonnyrigg v Sauchie but that was called off due to a frozen pitch. I then checked Newtongrange and Civil Service Strollers but they were also off. Even the Leith game on the 3G pitch at Peffermill was called off. However decided to go and watch the Hearts reserve game at Oriam today. Caught a 34 bus and arrived at ground at 13.40 for a 14.00 kick-off. Game was originally scheduled for the outdoor 3G pitch but was switched to the indoor pitch late on. At least they have now put a barrier behind the goals, see photo above, which allows spectators to see the goals clearly. No team sheets were issued but I recognised most of the players on the Hearts side.

Hearts had quite a strong side out with first team squad members Colin Doyle, Jamie Brandon (back after a long injury absence), Harry Cochrane, Jake Mulraney and Anthony McDonald along with loanees Chris Hamilton, Bobby Burns, Rory Currie, Lewis Moore and Euan Henderson. The latter two starting on the bench. Rangers included Niko Katic and ex-Liverpool player Jordan Rossiter.

Rangers had most of the first half pressure but Doyle in the Hearts goal had little to do as Hearts defended well. Mulraney looked dangerous on the break and when he was fouled just outside the penalty box in the first half. Cochrane took the free kick and fired it low into the box. Rangers defender Harris O'Connor nodded into his own net while attempting to clear. Later Mulraney had another good cross into the box which Katic headed over his own bar as he looked to clear the ball. Cochrane was looking good in the Hearts midfield and was using the ball intelligently. 

The second half was like the first as Rangers continued to press but the closest they came to a goal was when Alex Petrov attempted to head the ball back to Doyle in the Hearts goal. The ball looked like it was going to loop over his head and into the net but he managed to leap and hold the ball as it went over his head. Just before the sixty minute mark Rangers equalised when a low cross from O'Connor was turned into the Hearts net by Andy Dallas at the near post. Worryingly Cochrane was forced to leave the field on the hour mark through injury. With Arnaud Djoum suspended for the game at Aberdeen on Saturday it looked  as if  there would be an opportunity for Cochrane to regain a first team spot for that game and we can only hope the injury is not too serious. Doyle made a couple of saves as Rangers continued to press but Hearts were strong defensively with Hamilton particularly impressive. I used to think Hamilton was too small for a central defender but he shows an excellent sense of timing both in winning the ball in the air and tackling. However with ten minutes to go substitute Moore made a good run from midfield going past three defenders. At the edge of the box he passed to the onrushing fellow substitute Henderson who ran into the box on the left hand side and fired across keeper Aidan McAdams for Hearts winning goal. Rangers continued to press forward but Hearts looked dangerous on the break and Henderson could have added another goal before the final whistle after five minutes injury time..

After the game I walked down to the Avenue at Riccarton and caught a 35 bus home arriving back at 16.40 by which time it was dark. I was thankful the game had been moved to the indoor pitch otherwise the last fifteen minutes would have been played in the dark as there are no floodlights on the outdoor 3G pitch.


Teams
Hearts: Doyle, Brandon, Petkov, Hamilton, Hickey, Ritchie, Cochrane, Mulraney, Burns, McDonald, Currie.
Subs : C. Smith, Henderson, Moore, Logan
Rangers: McAdams, O'Connor, Patterson, Katic, Finlayson, Palmer, Rossiter, Kelly, Maxwell, Dallas, McPake. 
Subs: McClelland, Williamson