10th February 2019 Hearts v Auchinleck Talbot. 4-0

 

Should be an interesting Scottish Cup tie against the top side in the West of Scotland Junior League. Junior sides have been permitted to enter the Scottish Cup for a number of years now, with entry dependent on performances within the Junior Leagues. A number of Junior sides in the East of Scotland have moved into senior leagues, outwith the SPFL, but as part of the SFA pyramid system. However in the West clubs have elected to remain in the junior set-up where the best sides can gain entry to the Scottish Cup. Hearts played Auchinleck in the third round when they ended up as cup winners in 2012. The match however was a struggle as Hearts eventually won 1-0 with a weakened side although Auchinleck had a goal disallowed near the end which would have given them a replay. A couple of the Auchinleck side are still with the club, goalkeeper Andy Leishman and defender Gordon Pope.

With kickoff at 15.00 today I left the house at 14.05 and arrived in my seat at Tynecastle at 14.25. I was glad that my ticket had been added to my season ticket as there was a large queue waiting to pick up and buy tickets at the ticket office within the Hearts Shop. I had complained to Hearts about the arrangements for season ticket holders for this game. I had paid an extra £100 last year when buying my ticket which meant I was guaranteed my own season ticket seat for games not covered by my season ticket. For the last round against Livingston those who had paid this extra money had priority ahead of other ticket holders when the tickets went on sale. However for this round all season ticket holders were given priority. I e-mailed Hearts about this and they conceded that those who had paid extra should have had priority but as the game had been moved to the Sunday a decision had been taken to give priority to all season ticket holders. As I had already bought my ticket they offered me complementary tickets as compensation and I got two tickets for my son Craig and his boy Harper. Even better as the two season ticket seats on my left had not been taken up by the holders Hearts gave them tickets for these seats. Craig and Harper arrived five minutes before kick-off and Harper, six years old, was excited to be in the new main stand with a great view. He has been at Tynecastle before but this was his first time in the main stand.

Craig Levein made three changes from the side after the draw with Livingston in midweek. Uche Ikpeazu made his first start since returning after injury, with Steven Mclean returning to the side to partner Ikpeazu up front. Demitri Mitchell was also handed a starting berth with Conor Shaughnessy, Oliver Bozanic and Jake Mulraney moving onto the bench. Auchinleck included Andrew Leishman and Gordon Pope the survivors from their side in 2012. Leishman had a week training with hearts after that game but Hearts did not follow up their interest.

Hearts took the lead after ten minutes when they were awarded a free kick for a foul on Ikpeazu on the left hand side of the field. I thought Ikpeazu had run into the defender rather than a foul having been committed but was happy when Olly Lee took the resultant free-kick. He crossed the ball into the box from twenty-five yards out and skipper Christophe Berra leapt to head home from around ten yards out, This was Christophe’s first goal of the season. Hearts continued to create chances and Ikpeazu was unlucky on two occasions not to score. For a big man he has some great skill and his power helps to to put defenders under severe pressure. The second goal arrived after thirty-one minutes. Mitchell received the ball on the left and cut inside. He shot from the edge of the box with his right foot and found the net with the aid of a slight deflection off an Auchinleck defender. MacLean was denied by a good save from Leishman after he was found inside the box by a  good pass from Souttar. The third goal came after thirty-eight minutes from a short corner by Lee. He found Mitchell who beat a defender and fired the ball across goal. MacLean had an easy chance from about three yards out to defect the ball into the net.

Hearts brought on Calumn Morrison at half-time for Sean Clare who had been doubtful before the game as he was carrying an injury. I thought Hearts had a fourth goal minutes into the second half when a shot from Smith from outside the box was deflected home by MacLean. However the flag was raised for offside against MacLean. Hearts continued to create chances but there appeared to be a drop in their urgency from the first half and they were unable to take advantage of their possession. In eighty minutes Smith went down just over the halfway line with no-one near him. Berra signalled immediately to the bench for a stretcher but Smith was able to get up after treatment. However he limped off the field with the help of the physio. As they had used their three substitutes by this time Hearts had to play out the game with ten men. Substitute Aidan Keena made it four after eight-six minutes. He gathered the ball inside the penalty box and after twisting round two defenders shot past Leishman for his first Hearts goal. Auchinleck had made a few chances in the second half as Hearts took their foot of the pedal and finally had the ball in the net when Stephen Wilson headed home after a cross from substitute Mark Shankland. However an offside flag was raised against the ‘scorer’.

Harper was really happy after the game after seeing four goals and even better a Hearts win.I walked home after the game feeling happy and looking forward to the quarter-final draw on Monday. Craig and Harper walked up to Harrison Park to collect their car before coming along to our flat to collect some items for Craig and Claire’s daughter Harmoni who is eleven next week. 

Teams

Hearts: Doyle, Smith, Souttar, Berra, Lee, Clare, Djoum, Mitchell, Naismith, MacLean, Ikpeazu. 

Subs:Morrison, Vanecek, Keena

Auchinleck Talbot: Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, White, Armstrong, Hyslop, G. Wilson, Glasgow, S. Wilson. 

Subs: Samson, McIlroy, Shankland.