30th September 2017 Dundee v Hearts 2-1

Another away trip and another wander to Haymarket to catch the train to Dundee. I did not know that there had been an incident on the line in Princes Street and trains were being cancelled and delayed while a track inspection was carried out. Thankfully the 12.34 I was catching did run although was ten minutes late in reaching Haymarket. The train was also going to make an unscheduled stop in Kirkcaldy as a number of Fife trains had been cancelled. Despite everything I finally arrived in Dundee around 1.45 and walked to the ground arriving around 2.15. I don't like Dundee after they cost Hearts the league in 1986. I do think however that St Mirren were more guilty in lying down to Celtic while Dundee at least had a European spot to play for against an illness weakened Hearts side.

I saw the Hearts team announcement on my phone before I reached the ground and there were a few changes from the previous week. Connor Randall moved to right wing-back with Michael Smith switching across to the left. I cannot understand why Hearts signed two left-backs in the summer but are now switching a right-footed player across to left-back. Kyle Lafferty returned up front after missing last weeks game due to a back injury and having admitted during the week to a gambling problem. In midfield 16 year-old Harry Cochrane replaced the injured Don Cowie. Harry becomes the first Hearts player born in the 2000s to start a competitive first team game and later I found he was also the first to start in the SPL.

In the ground I met Colin who was sitting in the row in front of me and we had a chat putting the world to rights. The first half followed the same pattern as the previous weeks second half with Hearts having most of the pressure but not creating many chances. Hearts lost Aaron Hughes after seven minutes and he was replaced by midfielder Prince Bauben who moved into the back three. The only two clear chances were when Randall sent low shot across goal and past the far post with no-one able to apply the final touch and a clearance by the Dundee keeper hitting the onrushing Jamie Walker and bouncing past the post. despite Hearts having a number of corners the delivery was merely catching practice for Scott Bain in the Dundee goal. Just on half-time Dundee forced a corner and Kerr Waddell was left unmarked in the area to head Dundee in the lead.

For the second half Hearts switched to a 4-4-2 with Bauben moving into midfield and the wing-backs reverting to full-backs. Hearts were in control and Isma forced a good save from Bain and later hit the bar with a strong shot. The equaliser arrived when Dundee centre-forward Moussa attempted a passback from the halfway line. Lafferty intercepted the pass, rounded Bain and from a tight angle knocked the ball into the net. The game continued with Hearts on top although in injury time McLaughlin was forced to palm a shot from Dundee substitute Leitch-Smith past the post. From the resultant corner Kerr Waddell was again left unmarked and headed Dundee into the lead. It is difficult to believe a professional team could concede two goals direct from corners in the same game. On the bright side  Cochrane made a confident start, particularly in the second half when he put a couple of good balls into the Dundee Box.

After the game I walked back to the station just missing the 17.18 to Edinburgh. However next train was at 17.40 and I caught it back to Haymarket. There were several Hearts fans at a table in front of me knocking back Becks and I began to feel thirsty. Despite stopping at almost every station in Fife was back at 18.45 and then short walk home. Bought a bottle of wine on the way home to help cure both my bad mood and thirst after the result.

Teams

Dundee: Bain, Holt, O'Dea, Kamara, Moussa, O'Hara, McGowan, Deacon, Hendry, Spence, Waddell. 

Subs: Kerr, Leitch-Smith, El Bakhtaoui

Hearts: McLaughlin, Souttar, Berra, Hughes, Randall, Walker, Cochrane, Callachan, M.Smith, Lafferty, Isma. 

Subs: Buaben, Milinkovic