4th May 2019 Hearts v Kilmarnock 0-1

A bit late in posting this as my Hearts programme, which I get on subscription, did not arrive until Tuesday lunchtime after the game on Saturday. Admittedly no postal delivery on the Monday Bank Holiday did not help. This was the last home match of the season. After this there are away games at Aberdeen and Celtic and then the Scottish Cup final against Celtic at Hampden on 25th May. Despite the counter attraction of the last of the East of Scotland league play-off matches at Broxburn, Hearts have been my team since I was a child and I could not miss this game, especially as it was a home game. After lunch I settled down to watch Bournemouth v Spurs on Sky although as I took the dog out for a walk at halftime I missed the second Spurs sending off. As the game headed towards a close I decided to head off to Tynecastle and missed Bournemouth's injury time winner as well! Walked to Tynecastle and arrived around 14.30. After getting into the ground I bought a coffee and headed towards my seat. When I arrived there was no-one else I recognised in the area and that was when I realised I was in the wrong block. Trying to look nonchalant I walked along the row to the right area and arrived at my seat. Eric was already there and we had a chat about last weeks Derby and past players. Eric mentioned centre-forward Norris Davidson who was slightly before my time of watching Hearts however he was impressed when I said I had worked beside his daughter.

Hearts made two changes from last weeks side against Hibs with Ryan Edwards, making his first start in a Hearts jersey, and Steven MacLean coming into the starting line-up. Sean Clare dropped to the bench and last weeks debutant Connor Smith was omitted from the squad. I was surprised the Kris Boyd was not including in the Kilmarnock starting eleven. He has not be a regular recently but given his scoring record against Hearts I though he would have given a chance.

The game started slowly with the first chance coming around the ten minute mark when Eamonn Brophy had a low shot block by Bobby Zlamal. Hearts first chance came when a clearance fell at Arnaud Djoum’s feet twenty yards from goal but he blasted the ball over the cross-bar. After twenty minutes John Souttar saved Hearts with an excellent tackle on Liam Miller as he looked to tap home a cutback from the byeline from just from outside the six yard box. In twenty-seven minutes Hearts should have gone ahead when Uche Ikpeazue pounced on hesitation between keeper Daniel Bachmann and defender Alex Bruce just inside the penalty area. The striker took the ball round Bachmann but Bruce got back to clear his effort away from the goal. Ten minutes from half-time Brophy hit a low shot against Zlamal’s right hand post as Kilmarnock strove for a lead. As half-time approached Harry Cochrane had a shot from the edge of the box blocked by the Kilmarnock defence. The ball rebounded to the midfielder and he attempted to send the ball into the top corner of the net but the shot went past the post. Cochrane had another attempt from a MacLean cross but could only curl the ball past the post again.

Ikpeazu was forced off injured shortly after the start of the second half. He ran chasing a defender and pulled up, holding his leg. After treatment he was helped of the pitch by the physio and replaced by Sean Clare. Craig Levein said in the press after the game that he expected the striker to be fit for the Cup Final in three weeks and maybe even the away fixture at Parkhead the week before. Jake Mulraney set up a chance for MacLean with a good cross just after the hour mark. The strikers header however was blocked by a Killie defender before it could trouble the goalkeeper. The second half was end to end but neither side could create a clear chance until about ten minutes to go when substitute Olly Lee hit a free-kick into the box after Mulraney had been fouled following a good run. Christophe Berra’s header however was easily gathered by Bachmann. As in the previous league match at Tynecastle Kilmarnock struck late in the game. A clearance from a corner was returned to Youssouf Mulumbu in the penalty box. Despite suspicions of offside from where I was sitting he was able to pass to Gary Dicker, who i also thought had been in an offside position when the initial pass was made. His cross was deflected to centre-half Stuart Findlay who shot home from about twelve yards giving Zlamal no chance. A disappointing end to the game and the league season. I, and most of the rest of the crowd, showed our disappointment by not staying for the traditional lap of thanks to the fans by the squad after the game. I honestly think if Hearts had not reached the Cup Final there would have been a change of manager by now. Players who were playing well at the start of the season have lost form and the style of football appears to be not to lose the game rather than trying to win.

Walked home and settled down to watch Cardiff v Crystal Palace where at least I saw some goals. Oh to see Wilfred Zaha in a Hearts jersey ! Thinking it over I wish I had gone to Broxburn. Jim was there and kept me informed by text during the game. Bonnyrigg had their goalie sent off after thirty minutes and were 2-0 down at halftime. Despite this handicap they fought back to win 3-2 in the last minute This will give them promotion to the fifth tier in Scottish football, the Lowland League, next season subject to an SFA licence being granted. Despite my leanings towards Penicuik Bonnyrigg are deserved champions as the Scottish Cup is, as I write this, the only competition they have entered that they cannot still win.

Teams
Hearts: Zlamal, M. Smith, Shaughnessy, Souttar, Berra, Djoum, MacLean, Ikpeazu, Cochrane, Edwards, Mulraney. 
Subs: Clare, Lee, Wighton.
Kilmarnock: Bachmann, O'Donnell, Taylor, Bruce, Power, McKenzie, Dicker, Findlay, Millar, Mulumbu, Brophy. 
Subs: Burke, Ndjoli, Tshibola.