20th August 2019 Hearts reserves v St Mirren Reserves 3-1
I was meant to be going to see Ruby Wax at the Fringe today but as she has had an accident the show had to be cancelled. Thankfully my refund for the tickets came through today. I was therefore able to go to Riccarton for the first Hearts Reserve League game of the season against their compatriots from St Mirren. I had texted Malcolm and we arranged to meet at the ground. I caught a 35 bus at 13.20 and arrived at Riccarton at 13.50 in time for the 14.00 kick-off. On the way there had been a heavy rain shower and another started as we got off the bus. I met Alan as we both got off the bus and we had a chat as we walked up to the ground. I collected a team sheet as we walked in, no charge for admission to reserve games, and checked the stand to find Malcolm had not yet arrived. Alan went to sit with some friends and I took a seat in the stand near the entrance as Malcolm arrived just in time for the kick-off. Thankfully the rain stopped minutes into the game and the sun came out for the rest of the match.
Hearts fielded a strong side with new signing Glenn Whelan making his first appearance in a Hearts jersey. In the Reserve League players who are out at other clubs on development loans are permitted to play for their parent club and Hearts took advantage of this by choosing Daniel Baur (loaned to Bonnyrigg Rose), Alex Petrov (Clyde) and Lewis Moore (Falkirk). With the exception of goalkeeper Kevin Silva, the remainder of the starting eleven all had first team experience. I did not recognise any of the St Mirren players as having played in the first team although the name Conor McBrearty seemed familiar. I later found out that he had been on loan at Stenhousemuir last season.
Despite the strength of the Hearts side St Mirren took the lead after eight minutes. Joshua Jack passed a ball over the top of the defence for centre forward Lewis Jamieson to chase. The striker showed a cool head to chip the ball over the onrushing Silva from the edge of the penalty area. For the remainder of the half Hearts had most of the possession. Despite St Mirren keeper David Wilson making a good save from a Oliver Bozanic shot from outside the box Hearts seemed to lack a cutting edge. Both Harry Cochrane and Euan Henderson had attempts but chances were few and far between. The main threat to the St Mirren goal seemed to be the power in the air of the tall centre-backs Baur and Petrov. Baur was penalised for pushing as he rose to meet a corner and Petrov headed a Whelan free-kick over the bar.
The second half started a score of the same and St Mirren would have gone further ahead but for a good save by Silva from a Jack free-kick. in sixty-eight minutes Hearts equalised when Anthony McDonald slipped a pass through the St Mirren defence. Henderson ran through to collect and shot past Wilson from the edge of the penalty box for the equaliser. Two minutes later Hearts went ahead. Whelan showed great presence of mind by playing a one-two with Jamie Brandon on the right with allowed Bobby Burns to move forward on the left. When the ball was returned to Whelan by Brandon, he looked up and hit an excellent cross-field pass for the full-back to run onto down the left. Burns reached the byeline and then pulled the ball back into the St Mirren penalty area. McDonald made a good run into the box to shoot home from around eight yards for a well worked goal. Shortly afterwards St Mirren centre-half Nick McAllister who had seemed to have spent the entire game manning at both his team-mates and the officials was clattered on the back of his head by his own keeper Wilson. It must have been a relief to both his team-mates and the officials as the centre half was quiet while he received treatment for the knock. Hearts then seemed to dominant the game but could not add to their tally until the match moved into injury time. Cochrane was fouled on the right touchline but managed to feed the ball to McDonald as he was tackled. McDonald passed the ball along the edge of the penalty box. Moore dummied the ball in the centre of the box and it fell to substitute Connor Smith who curled a shot into the right hand corner of Wilson's net form the edge of the penalty are for a final scoreline of three one.
After the match we walked down to the Avenue and caught a 35 bus back into town. Malcolm got of at Longstone and I continued home arriving back around 16.15.
The second half started a score of the same and St Mirren would have gone further ahead but for a good save by Silva from a Jack free-kick. in sixty-eight minutes Hearts equalised when Anthony McDonald slipped a pass through the St Mirren defence. Henderson ran through to collect and shot past Wilson from the edge of the penalty box for the equaliser. Two minutes later Hearts went ahead. Whelan showed great presence of mind by playing a one-two with Jamie Brandon on the right with allowed Bobby Burns to move forward on the left. When the ball was returned to Whelan by Brandon, he looked up and hit an excellent cross-field pass for the full-back to run onto down the left. Burns reached the byeline and then pulled the ball back into the St Mirren penalty area. McDonald made a good run into the box to shoot home from around eight yards for a well worked goal. Shortly afterwards St Mirren centre-half Nick McAllister who had seemed to have spent the entire game manning at both his team-mates and the officials was clattered on the back of his head by his own keeper Wilson. It must have been a relief to both his team-mates and the officials as the centre half was quiet while he received treatment for the knock. Hearts then seemed to dominant the game but could not add to their tally until the match moved into injury time. Cochrane was fouled on the right touchline but managed to feed the ball to McDonald as he was tackled. McDonald passed the ball along the edge of the penalty box. Moore dummied the ball in the centre of the box and it fell to substitute Connor Smith who curled a shot into the right hand corner of Wilson's net form the edge of the penalty are for a final scoreline of three one.
After the match we walked down to the Avenue and caught a 35 bus back into town. Malcolm got of at Longstone and I continued home arriving back around 16.15.
Teams
Hearts: Silva, Brandon, Burns, Baur, Petrov, Whelan, Bozanic, Cochrane, Henderson, McDonald, Moore.
Subs: C.Smith
St. Mirren: Wilson, Grant, Walker, Glover, McAllister, Frew, McMaster, McBrearty, Jamieson, Jack, Henderson.
Subs: Gray, McCaw, Ellis.
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