26th October 2019 Livingston v Hearts 0-0
Off to the wilds of West Lothian today for Livingston v Hearts. I did have a ticket for last weeks postponed Scottish Cup-tie between Penicuik and Stenhousemuir which is now being played today. However as I paid £25 for a ticket for Livingston I have given the Penicuik ticket to Jim who will enjoy the game. I decided to use my free bus-pass to go to Livingston and caught an X28 at the West Approach Road at 13.00. After a journey through Kirkliston, West Calder and Mid Calder I arrived at the Almondvale Shopping Centre just before 14.00. The ground, now known as the Tony Macaroni Stadium, is only a few minutes walk from the Centre and I was there about 14.05. The Gorgie Boys, a collection of teenagers looking to provide a singing section at Tynecastle, had provided some vocal entertainment outside outside the Shopping Centre under the watchful eye of the local police. I was hanging about outside the ground when they arrived em masse still singing and escorted by the police. One of them was banging on a drum and I hoped I was not going to be seated near him. A steward took the mob into the stadium by a separate exit and I then entered the stadium where I saw Denise, the local lollipop lady and her partner. Livingston are one of the clubs who do not issue a programme. Instead the match magazine can be downloaded from their website. I downloaded a copy to read but did not print it as it is a sixty two page colour document with a significant number of pages being adverts for local businesses. My seat in the ground was in the section along from the Gorgie Boys but unfortunately still in the vicinity of the drummer. As kickoff approached it appeared that the police had kept the Gorgie Boys together in one area with no regard for the seat number son their tickets. This meant that other fans were unable to access the seat on their ticket and were being told by the police to sit anywhere with compounded the problem for other fans who arrived later. Why issue tickets with seat numbers when the police can make a unilateral decision to disregard these ?
Hearts made three changes from the starting line-up against Rangers last week. Jamie Brandon who had come on as a substitute against Rangers retained his spot replacing concussion victim Aidy White, Andy Irving came into midfield instead of Glenn Whelan who had a tight hamstring and Steven MacLean replaced the injured Jake Mulraney. With Maclean playing un front alongside Uche Ikpeazu, Ryotaro Meshino moved to a wide left midfield role which i do not think is his best position. Livingston were in a good run of form having beaten Celtic in their last home game, the champions first league defeat of the season. Livi included two former Harts players in their side Alan Lithgow and Scott Robinson. Robinson made his first appearance for Hearts in 2008 at age 16 and became the youngest player ever to appear in a Hearts first team game and also the youngest player to appear in the SPL. He did not fulfil his early promise and moved on to Kilmarnock, Dunfermline and East Fife before joining Livingston in 2017. Livingston striker Lyndon Dykes, who is being touted for international recognition for both Scotland and Australia, missed out through injury and was replaced by Aymen Souda.
Hearts started the game well and won a free kick twenty-five yards from goal in the first minute when Sean Clare was body checked as he made a run towards the penalty box. Unfortunately Oliver Bozanizc’s kick was cleared by the Livingston defence. Uche Ikpeazu was making some good runs and had Hearts first shot on goal in ten minutes when he made a run to the edge of the box on the right hand side but his shot was saved by Maria Sarkic at the near post. Meshino then cut in from the left touchline and hit a good shot from the edge of the penalty area across goal and past the far post. Livinstoon first attempt came after twenty three minutes when a flick by Robinson from the edge of the six yard box was blocked by Joel Pereira in the Hearts goal. Hearts then had a claim for a penalty when Ikpeazu went to ground after a tussle with Lithgow in the penalty box but referee Greg Aitken ignored the appeals. The best chance of the half came when Clare sent Ikpeazu through on goal with a back heeled flick. The striker was unable to beat the diving Sarkic with his shot from just inside the area. As halftime approached Aaron Hickey was injured after a challenge from Nicky Devlin which looked high and dangerous from where I was sitting. The referee declined to show a card and Hickey continued after treatment. Justice was served minutes later when Devlin went down just outside had own penalty area and ended to be replaced by Ricky Lammie due to injury.
The second half started with a red card for Souda of Livingston after four minutes. Pereira made a mess of collecting a cross as he collided with Robinson. As the keeper seemed to wrestle with Robinson as the ball flew up in the air and Souda attempted a flying overhead kick with both feet off the ground. He caught Christophe Berra who feel to the ground, although not seriously injured. The referee adjudged this as dangerous play and showed Souda the red card. Despite having an extra man Hearts were unable to capitalise and Livingston almost went ahead when Jack McMillan was played into space twenty yards from the Hearts goal. His low shot beat the diving Pereira but Michael Smith was behind him to clear the ball from the line. Smith then had a go at Hickey who had been dragged inside leaving the space for McMillan. Hearts brought on Callumn Morrison and Clevid Dikamona just after the hour mark replacing Brandon and Maclean. This brought a slight improvement and Morrison had a good chance when he ran onto the ball after Ikpeazu was tripped. The winger headed into the penalty box and attempted a shot from around six yards out. The shot was blocked by Sarkic at the near post with Clare shouting for a cutback from the middle of the goal area. Hickey then had a cross deflected wide of his own far post by Lithgow but Hearts were still struggling to create chances and seemed to be very slow in moving the ball in midfield. As the game moved into injury time Dikamona turned just inside the Livi penalty box but then shot straight at Sarkic. The final whistle then blew after a disappointing game.
I headed back to the bus station and caught an X17 back to Edinburgh. The bus took magical mystery tour through Broxburn and Newbridge but after getting off at Haymarket I was home by 18.15. I had been catching up on post match comments on the journey and was surprised to hear the Craig Levein said Hearts had improved given they had been defeated 5-0 last time they had visited Livi. I have to disagree as with the third highest playing budget in the league Hearts should be beating teams like Livingston and also Ross County, Hamilton, St. Mirren and Motherwell where they have dropped points earlier this season.
Hearts started the game well and won a free kick twenty-five yards from goal in the first minute when Sean Clare was body checked as he made a run towards the penalty box. Unfortunately Oliver Bozanizc’s kick was cleared by the Livingston defence. Uche Ikpeazu was making some good runs and had Hearts first shot on goal in ten minutes when he made a run to the edge of the box on the right hand side but his shot was saved by Maria Sarkic at the near post. Meshino then cut in from the left touchline and hit a good shot from the edge of the penalty area across goal and past the far post. Livinstoon first attempt came after twenty three minutes when a flick by Robinson from the edge of the six yard box was blocked by Joel Pereira in the Hearts goal. Hearts then had a claim for a penalty when Ikpeazu went to ground after a tussle with Lithgow in the penalty box but referee Greg Aitken ignored the appeals. The best chance of the half came when Clare sent Ikpeazu through on goal with a back heeled flick. The striker was unable to beat the diving Sarkic with his shot from just inside the area. As halftime approached Aaron Hickey was injured after a challenge from Nicky Devlin which looked high and dangerous from where I was sitting. The referee declined to show a card and Hickey continued after treatment. Justice was served minutes later when Devlin went down just outside had own penalty area and ended to be replaced by Ricky Lammie due to injury.
The second half started with a red card for Souda of Livingston after four minutes. Pereira made a mess of collecting a cross as he collided with Robinson. As the keeper seemed to wrestle with Robinson as the ball flew up in the air and Souda attempted a flying overhead kick with both feet off the ground. He caught Christophe Berra who feel to the ground, although not seriously injured. The referee adjudged this as dangerous play and showed Souda the red card. Despite having an extra man Hearts were unable to capitalise and Livingston almost went ahead when Jack McMillan was played into space twenty yards from the Hearts goal. His low shot beat the diving Pereira but Michael Smith was behind him to clear the ball from the line. Smith then had a go at Hickey who had been dragged inside leaving the space for McMillan. Hearts brought on Callumn Morrison and Clevid Dikamona just after the hour mark replacing Brandon and Maclean. This brought a slight improvement and Morrison had a good chance when he ran onto the ball after Ikpeazu was tripped. The winger headed into the penalty box and attempted a shot from around six yards out. The shot was blocked by Sarkic at the near post with Clare shouting for a cutback from the middle of the goal area. Hickey then had a cross deflected wide of his own far post by Lithgow but Hearts were still struggling to create chances and seemed to be very slow in moving the ball in midfield. As the game moved into injury time Dikamona turned just inside the Livi penalty box but then shot straight at Sarkic. The final whistle then blew after a disappointing game.
I headed back to the bus station and caught an X17 back to Edinburgh. The bus took magical mystery tour through Broxburn and Newbridge but after getting off at Haymarket I was home by 18.15. I had been catching up on post match comments on the journey and was surprised to hear the Craig Levein said Hearts had improved given they had been defeated 5-0 last time they had visited Livi. I have to disagree as with the third highest playing budget in the league Hearts should be beating teams like Livingston and also Ross County, Hamilton, St. Mirren and Motherwell where they have dropped points earlier this season.
Teams
Livingston: Sarkic, Devlin, Lithgow, McMillan, Guthrie, Bartley, Jacobs, Robinson, Lawless, Crawford, Souda.
Subs: lame, Odofinn, Tiffany
Hearts: Pereira, Smith, Berra, Bozanic, Clare, MacLean, Ikpeazu, Brandon, Irving, Hickey, Meshino.
Subs: Dikamona, Morrison, Keena.
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