30th March 2019 Hearts v Aberdeen 2-1
At last another Hearts game. After a busy morning I sat down after lunch to watch the Edinburgh v Munster rugby match from Murrayfield on BT Sport. While I enjoy watching rugby internationals on TV I am afraid that club rugby does not have the same appeal. I gave up on the match at around 14.05 and walked down to Tynecastle. After buying a coffee I head for my seat in the stand arriving around 14.35. Eric was already in his seat next to me and I remarked that he was early this week. He had been having a beer in the Club 1874 bar at the ground but the bar closes at at 14.15 so he had moved into the stadium. We had a chat about recent games and agreed that the standard of football had be awful, putting it politely, but hoped today match would show an improvement.
This was an important game for Hearts as a win today would guarantee a place in the top six, leading to higher gates for matches after the cut-off and additionally a win would also allow Hearts of leap-frog Hibs who had moved into fifth place following their win at Livingston on Friday night. Hearts made a number of changes to the team following their defeat at Hamilton. The the absence of injured full-backs Michael Smith, Demetri Mitchell and now Ben Garuccio, who had injured a knee ligament at training, the line-up included Jamie Brandon and Jake Mulraney as wing-backs. I think Brandon is a good defensive full-back while Mulraney is better in the attacking side of the wing-back role. Perhaps if their best qualities could be combined Hearts would have the ideal wing-back. In addition Uche Ikpeazu and Craig Wighton replaced David Vanecek and Callumn Morrison from the Hamilton starting line-up. Surprisingly neither of the players replaced were on the bench. Aberdeen were on their usual lines although striker Stevie May, who scored for fun during his time at St Johnstone, was on the bench with Connor McLennan starting in his place.
The game started with Aberdeen having most of the possession and they took the lead after sixteen minutes. A corner by Niall McGinn was met by Sam Cosgrove’s head. His effort bounced of the bar and with Bobby Zlamal lying in the net after his effort to save the initial effort, and the remainder of the Hearts defence statuesque, Connor McLennan nipped in to head the rebound into the net. Aberdeen continued to have most of the ball and Graham Shinnie hit a long range effort inches past Zlamal's post. It was good to hear the Aberdeen fans support for Shinnie given his horror show performance for Scotland in their defeat by Kazakhstan. I do think that Shinnie had been hung out to dry by the Scotland management who fielded him at left-back while he has been playing midfield for Aberdeen for the last few seasons. Shortly before halftime Zlamal tipped another Cosgrove header over the bar before a two fisted punch kept out another long range effort from Shinnie. Hearts had been woeful in the first half without troubling Joe Lewis in the Aberdeen goal. Their performance was probably summed up by the ball being passed to Brandon on the right just inside the Aberdeen half. He ran forward but attempt to cross the ball from twenty-five yards out into the box when he could have continued forward and put in a more accurate cross. This example is not meant to single out Brandon as the whole team did not seem to be up for the game. Eric and I both agreed that Hearts lacked inspiration in the absence of Steven Naismith and we could not see how the team could improve in the second half.
Thankfully things improved in the second half and Hearts missed a sitter five minutes into the half. A long ball by Christophe Berra was mishandled by Lewis and fell at Ikpeaziu’s feet sixteen yards out with an open goal to aim at. The striker hit the ball first time past the post when he had time to take a touch before rolling the ball goalwards. However the miss seemed to fire up Ikpeazu and he became a real handful for the Aberdeen defence with his physical power. The equaliser came after an hour when Mulraney ran from his own half towards the goal leaving the Aberdeen forwards and midfield in his wake. As he entered the box he was taken down by a challenge by Andy Considine before he could shoot. Despite protests from Aberdeen a penalty was awarded. Sean Clare took the kick and sent the ball into the righthand side of the goal as Lewis dived left. Hearts could have had a second penalty when Ikpeazu intercepted a backpass and headed towards goal. Lewis came out to meet him and the striker ended up on the ground at the edge of the six yard box. I thought it was a penalty but referee John Beaton thought otherwise and booked Ikpeazu for diving. Television evidence agreed with my view and showed that Lewis had stuck out a foot and tripped Ikpeazu. Hearts were now well on top and, after Lewis held another Ikpeazu effort, Wighton forced Lewis into a save after he had controlled a Shaughnessy free-kick. Hearts took the lead after seventy-seven minutes when Ikpeazu chased a long ball from Shaughnessy. Considine made a mess of trying to control the ball and then Scott McKenna attempted a headed clearance and missed the ball completely. I think the defender was distracted by Ikpeazu bearing down on him like a runaway tank. Ikpeazu brought the ball under control and shot past Lewis from sixteen yards. A minute later the strikers afternoon was over as he was clattered in an arial challenge and seemed to land awkwardly. After a long period of treatment he was lead from the field and replaced by Oliver Bozanic. He was later wheeled round the pitch on a stretcher with rapturous applause from the crowd in sympathy. Hearts were looking to hold out now and minutes from the end Clare was floored near the halfway line after a challenge by Dominic Ball. The defender felt Clare had gone down too easily and remonstrated with fallen midfielder and I thought also landed a punch. This cause a melee with several players from both sides involved. Referee Beaton booked Hearts John Souttar aand Arnaud Djoum along with Aberdeen's Ball and Ferguson. While the bookings were deserved I thought Ball should have been sent off as his conduct has started the fracas. The final whistle went with Hearts 2-1 winners. The game was remarkably similar to the previous encounter with Aberdeen at Tynecastle although in that match Hearts dominated the first half and Aberdeen the second.
I walked home happy with the three points and also that Hearts had moved above Hibs. Hearts still have a opportunity to catch both Aberdeen and Kilmarnock and finish third in the table.
The game started with Aberdeen having most of the possession and they took the lead after sixteen minutes. A corner by Niall McGinn was met by Sam Cosgrove’s head. His effort bounced of the bar and with Bobby Zlamal lying in the net after his effort to save the initial effort, and the remainder of the Hearts defence statuesque, Connor McLennan nipped in to head the rebound into the net. Aberdeen continued to have most of the ball and Graham Shinnie hit a long range effort inches past Zlamal's post. It was good to hear the Aberdeen fans support for Shinnie given his horror show performance for Scotland in their defeat by Kazakhstan. I do think that Shinnie had been hung out to dry by the Scotland management who fielded him at left-back while he has been playing midfield for Aberdeen for the last few seasons. Shortly before halftime Zlamal tipped another Cosgrove header over the bar before a two fisted punch kept out another long range effort from Shinnie. Hearts had been woeful in the first half without troubling Joe Lewis in the Aberdeen goal. Their performance was probably summed up by the ball being passed to Brandon on the right just inside the Aberdeen half. He ran forward but attempt to cross the ball from twenty-five yards out into the box when he could have continued forward and put in a more accurate cross. This example is not meant to single out Brandon as the whole team did not seem to be up for the game. Eric and I both agreed that Hearts lacked inspiration in the absence of Steven Naismith and we could not see how the team could improve in the second half.
Thankfully things improved in the second half and Hearts missed a sitter five minutes into the half. A long ball by Christophe Berra was mishandled by Lewis and fell at Ikpeaziu’s feet sixteen yards out with an open goal to aim at. The striker hit the ball first time past the post when he had time to take a touch before rolling the ball goalwards. However the miss seemed to fire up Ikpeazu and he became a real handful for the Aberdeen defence with his physical power. The equaliser came after an hour when Mulraney ran from his own half towards the goal leaving the Aberdeen forwards and midfield in his wake. As he entered the box he was taken down by a challenge by Andy Considine before he could shoot. Despite protests from Aberdeen a penalty was awarded. Sean Clare took the kick and sent the ball into the righthand side of the goal as Lewis dived left. Hearts could have had a second penalty when Ikpeazu intercepted a backpass and headed towards goal. Lewis came out to meet him and the striker ended up on the ground at the edge of the six yard box. I thought it was a penalty but referee John Beaton thought otherwise and booked Ikpeazu for diving. Television evidence agreed with my view and showed that Lewis had stuck out a foot and tripped Ikpeazu. Hearts were now well on top and, after Lewis held another Ikpeazu effort, Wighton forced Lewis into a save after he had controlled a Shaughnessy free-kick. Hearts took the lead after seventy-seven minutes when Ikpeazu chased a long ball from Shaughnessy. Considine made a mess of trying to control the ball and then Scott McKenna attempted a headed clearance and missed the ball completely. I think the defender was distracted by Ikpeazu bearing down on him like a runaway tank. Ikpeazu brought the ball under control and shot past Lewis from sixteen yards. A minute later the strikers afternoon was over as he was clattered in an arial challenge and seemed to land awkwardly. After a long period of treatment he was lead from the field and replaced by Oliver Bozanic. He was later wheeled round the pitch on a stretcher with rapturous applause from the crowd in sympathy. Hearts were looking to hold out now and minutes from the end Clare was floored near the halfway line after a challenge by Dominic Ball. The defender felt Clare had gone down too easily and remonstrated with fallen midfielder and I thought also landed a punch. This cause a melee with several players from both sides involved. Referee Beaton booked Hearts John Souttar aand Arnaud Djoum along with Aberdeen's Ball and Ferguson. While the bookings were deserved I thought Ball should have been sent off as his conduct has started the fracas. The final whistle went with Hearts 2-1 winners. The game was remarkably similar to the previous encounter with Aberdeen at Tynecastle although in that match Hearts dominated the first half and Aberdeen the second.
I walked home happy with the three points and also that Hearts had moved above Hibs. Hearts still have a opportunity to catch both Aberdeen and Kilmarnock and finish third in the table.
Teams
Hearts: Zlamal, Shaughnessy, Souttar, Haring, Berra, Clare, Djoum, Wighton, Ikpeazu, Mulraney, Brandon.
Subs: Bozanic
Aberdeen: Lewis, Shinnie, McKenna, Stewart, McGinn, Cosgrove, Ferguson, Ball, McLennan , Lowe.
Subs: Wilson, Devlin.
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