26th December 2018 Hearts v Hamilton Academicals 2-0

Back at Tynecastle today for Hearts v Hamilton. I watched most of the Fulham v Wolves match on Sky before leaving for Tynecastle. I cannot understand how Wolves fans can relate to their side as most of the players and coaching staff are from overseas. I did however see Ian Cathro, the former Hearts manager, on the bench as he now works with Wolves. Left home at 14.05, missing Wolves equaliser and walked to Tynecastle arriving around 14.25. Fans were queueing at ticket office to purchase tickets for this game and also to collect tickets for Saturday’s Edinburgh Derby.

Hearts had lost 2-0 at Aberdeen last week but the good news was that Steven Naismith made his comeback after injury in that game. The bad news was that he also received his sixth booking of the season and will now miss home league game against Dundee in January. Hearts made two changes to last weeks side, Ben Garuccio replaced the suspended Demitri Mitchell at left back while Calumn Morrison replace Sean Clare, who dropped to the bench. Last week Hearts played three at the back but today Peter Haring moved forward into midfield leaving a back four of Marcus Godinho. Michael Smith, Christophe Berra and Garuccio. Hamilton were missing midfield enforcer Darian McKinnon and former Hearts striker James Keatings.

Hearts started well and after two minutes Naismith headed wide with a diving header at the far post after a Morrison cross. There was a moment of concern when keeper Colin Doyle mishit a clearance against Berra who was standing outside the penalty box. Thankfully the ball rebounded straight to Doyle rather than into the net. Hamilton lost centre-half Dolphin Tshiembe due to injury and he was replaced by former Hearts defender Leonard Sowah. I saw Sowah play one game for Hearts in central defence and he was awful. I think Hamilton knew he was not a central defender and played him at left back with Gordon moving infield. Hearts scored after eighteen minutes when Garuccio beat two players cutting in from the left. He laid the ball off to Naismith just inside the penalty box who took a touch and then shot low past Gary Woods into the right hand corner of the net. Hearts almost scored again when Naismith took a quick free-kick after he was fouled. His pass found Mclean racing into the box, his first touch was good but he fired his shot over the bar with only Woods to beat. With a minute until half time Morrison broke down the right wing and crossed low into the box. the ball found Arnaud Djoum just outside the goalies box at the far post and he shot into the net to put Hearts 2-0 ahead at halftime.

The second half was a repeat off the first with Hearts having the bulk of possession and also the chances. From an Olly Lee cross, laid on by Naismith, Morrison hit a cross-shot off the bar. Clare replaced McLean after an hour and quickly made an impact. Firstly he broke from midfield but was unable to get his shot on target. He then had a run to the byeline and cut the ball back to Djoum on the six yard-line. Djoum was denied a goal by a last gasp tackle by Dougie Imrie. In seventy minutes Hamilton lost defender Shaun Want to a second yellow card. He mis-controlled the ball as Naismith challenged him and pulled the forward back by the jersey as he moved forward. Want was lucky that the offence occurred only yards from the touchline in the Hamilton half as if had been in the centre of the field it would have been a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. With thirteen minutes to go Hearts were awarded a penalty for what no-one in the ground other than those in the Gorgie stand could see the reason. It turned out the Hamilton defender Ziggy Gordon was adjudged to have handled the ball under pressure from Hearts substitute Jake Mulraney. Having seen the offence later on Sportscene I thought the award was very soft. Smith took the penalty but his shot hit the bar and bounced back into play. The game ended 2-0 to Hearts.

Walked back home happy at the result and amazed at the difference Naismith made to the Hearts side. Not only his own performance but McLean, Clare and Morrison put in better attacking performances than they have shown for some time.Only downside was both Djoum and Haring were replaced due to Injury and may be doubtful for Saturdays derby.

Teams

Hearts: Doyle, Smith, Haring, Berra, Lee, Djoum, Naismith, Garuccio, MacLean, Godinho, Morrison. 

Subs: Clare, Mulraney, Bozanic

Hamilton: Woods, McGowan, McMann, Gordon, Tshiembe, Imrie, Miller, Taiwo, Want, Martin, Brustad. 

Subs: Sowah, Bingham, Boyd.