9th September 2017 Hearts v Aberdeen 0-0

After a week in Paphos at last another Hearts game. However it was the first of our three fixtures at Murrayfield and meant a slightly longer journey than going to Tynecastle. I was going to take the tram from Haymarket but just missed it and ended up taking 26 bus and walking from Roseburn. It was a bit strange going through the turnstiles and then being faced by a number of vans selling food. Not your normal Tynecastle pies but things like fish and chips and venison burgers. I had been allocated a good seat in the lower tier of the stand.

This was Craig Levein’s first game in charge and he made a few changes, lining up in a 3-5-2 formation. Jon McLaughlin was preferred in goal to Jack Hamilton with Ross Callachan, signed from Raith Rovers making his debut is midfield. Ross’ uncle is Ralph Callachan who is, I think, the only player to have played for Hearts, Hibs and Meadowbank Thistle, Wonder who will be the first to play for Hearts, Hibs and Edinburgh City? In addition to Ross another new signing ,David Milinkovic, was on the bench.

Aberdeen had a great chance to open the scoring early, when May burst through the Hearts defence and lobbed McLaughlin, but Christophe Berra was able to put Adam Rooney off, and the striker headed wide. The visitors came close again when Christie was brought down on the edge of the box by Don Cowie. His free-kick effort rebounded back to Dominic Ball, but the his attempt was wide. However after the initial twenty minutes Hearts then came back into the game and had their first shot on target on the half-hour. Jamie Walker’s free-kick from the edge of the box was palmed away by Joe Lewis. Then Isma broke through the middle and fired a low shot towards goal that was tipped wide by the Aberdeen stopper. Walker was then stopped by a great save from Lewis after Randall played him in on the edge of the box. His lobbed effort looked a certain goal but the keeper managed to palm it over the bar.This was the first time I had seen Connor Randall in a Hearts jersey and he looked a good signing and was getting up and down the right-hand side of the pitch. 

After the break, Callachan came close to a fantastic debut. Berra’s cross was chested down by Isma into Callachan’s path, and his left-foot effort was brilliantly saved by Lewis.  It was even closer on 63 minutes. Walker pounced on a loose ball in the middle of the park, then passed to Isma who cut inside and hammered a shot off the crossbar. Substitute Lafferty had the game’s best chance when Callachan’s cut-back fell to the  attacker, but he dwelled on the ball and Logan cleared. Aberdeen substitute Gary Mackay-Steven got a bit of good humoured banter with chants of ‘you only sing when you’re swimming’ following his recents exploits in the River Kelvin following an evening drinking session in Glasgow. Hearts can count themselves unlucky not to win this game, as after a difficult start, they were on top against an Aberdeen side that had a 100% record going into this game. Without keeper Lewis Hearts would have won the game easily and the performance and attitude seemed to be a lot better. 

The attendance at Murrayfield was in excess of 24,000 boosted by 7,000 travelling Aberdeen fans. Even with almost 14,000 Hearts season ticket holders getting in for nothing Hearts would make a tidy sum from the tickets sold. The two other games currently scheduled for Murrayfield are against St Johnstone and Rangers. Rangers are likely to bring a large travelling support and attendance may exceed todays figure. St Johnstone however struggle for support at home, never mind travelling fans, and I would anticipate a crowd of around 17,000 for that game.

A walk home along Russell Road brought me back home in a good mood.

Teams

Hearts: McLaughlin, Souttar, Hughes,Berra,Grzelak,Randall,Cowie,Callachan,Walker, Djoum, Isma 

Subs: Milinkovic, Lafferty

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Shinnie, Considine, O'Connor, McLean, Rooney, Wright, Ball, Christie, May. 

Subs : Maynard,Mackay-Steven, Reynolds