9th November 2019 Hearts v St Mirren 5-2
First game at Tynecastle since Craig Levein's departure as manager and a crucial encounter with Hearts and St Mirren both struggling near the bottom of the SPL. My oldest friend, Ivan is going to the game for only his second visit to Tynecastle in twelve years. We first met in Primary One, which was not yesterday, and have been friends since then. We went to games regularly in the 1970's and 80's although I gave up on most away games once the children were born. We did however go to see Hearts win in both Bordeaux and Basel. This maintained my record of never seeing Hearts lose outside Scotland having seen wins and a draw at Berwick, a win at Everton and a draw with Liverpool.
To ensure we could get seats together I got two seats in the Wheatfield stand, in line the with the Gorgie Road goalmouth. I gave up my Main Stand season ticket seat in exchange for my Wheatfield seat and I am hoping the change of view brings a change of fortunes. I was sitting watching Chelsea v Crystal Palace on Sky when Ivan texted me to say he was catching a bus at 14.06. Checked and saw he would arrive at the stop opposite Tynecastle around 14.35. I left the house around 14.15 and walked down to Tyneastle to wait for Ivan's bus to arrive. I arrived at the stop at 14.30 just as a number 3 bus had arrived at the stop and then broke down with passengers having to wait for the next bus. The broken down bus was causing chaos as traffic was struggling to get past and this was causing tailbacks. Ivan was caught in the tailback but arrived at around 14.45. We crossed the road and walked the short distance to the Gorgie Road entrance and then walked round inside the ground to our seats. Ivan was saying that last time he had been at Tynecastle Hearts had won 4-2 so I hoped this was a good omen.
Interim manager Austin McPhee made a number of changes to the side defeated at Hampden by Rangers last weekend. Into the starting line-up came Clevid Dikamona, Andy Irving, Uche Ikpeazu, Steven Naismith and Jamie Walker.Tthe latter two were making their first starts after long injury absences and their attacking flair would be welcome given the lack of goals scored recently. Steven MacLean, Ryotaro Meshino and Glenn Whelan dropped to the bench from last weeks side with Craig Wighton and Sean Clare dropped from the squad. St Mirren, under manager Jim Goodwin, have not been having a good season. While they are strong defensively they are, like Hearts, unable to create a consistent attacking threat. The lack of goals has resulted in only two league wins thus far and they are in the familiar position for the side of struggling to avoid relegation.
Hearts started well and took the lead after six minutes. Ikpeazu, who seemed to be playing as a right winger with Naismith as central striker, forced a corner after a run down the right. Irving took the corner low towards the near post area where Naismith, who had made good run to lose his marker, swept the ball into the net. St Mirren equalised in twenty-one minutes. Kyle Magennis sent a ball into the Hearts box from the right. Tony Andreu headed the ball back into the centre of the box from the left where Jon Obika, who had lost his marker Diksmona, fired it high into the net giving Joel Pereira no chance. The Hearts defence appealed as there was a suspicion of offside but as Andreu had run in from deep to meet the ball and then headed it back across to Obika the referee did not entertain the appeals. In thirty-one minutes Hearts took the lead when Naismith headed a throw-in from the left onto Ikpeazu. The striker took the ball past St Mirren keeper Vaclac Hladky and from a tight angle fired the ball across goal. The ball took a deflection of St Mirren defender Sean McLoughlin in the centre of the goal area and flew into the empty net. The lead did not last long as two minutes later Christophe Berra missed a high clearance from Hladky and the ball ran through to Danny Mullen. Dikamona was unable to get across to cover and the striker ran into the penalty box before shooting low past the diving Pereira for a second equaliser. Hearts went in front again after forty-two minutes and again Naismith was involved. He chased a through ball from Irving and from a challenge by Kirk Braodfoot the ball fell to Ikpeazu who rolled it to Michael Smith on the right hand side of the penalty box. He sent a good cross Towards the far post and Oliver Bozanic leapt to head home from inside the six yard box. Five goals by half-time made an entertaining match and there was none of the booing that had been heard recently as the players left the field at halftime.
Heart started the second half quicker than in the first and scored again in forty-six minutes and without any involvement from Naismith ! Smith took a quick throw-in and the ball was returned to him by Bozanic. The full-back took a touch and then hit a good cross towards the near post. Walker jumped highest in a crowd of players and glanced a header across goal into the far side of the net. With Hearts now two ahead the pace of the game dropped a bit although Hearts were still in control. Hearts brought on Loic Damour, Jake Mulraney and Meshino for Walker, White and Ikpeazu during the second half. Walker was I think rested after his injury, White who had played more as a left sided midfielder than his normal full-back is still not fully match fit and Ikpeazu was substituted as a precaution after going down injured on the halfway line. Periera in the Hearts goal had a good save leaping to touch away a thirty yard shot from McLoughlin for a corner and this seemed to wake Hearts up again. In seventy-seven minutes Mulraney broke down the left and played a one-two with Naismith. On receiving the ball back the winger cut in past a defender to the left hand side of the penalty area just outside the box. He then hit a good shot with his right foot across goal into the far corner giving Hladky no chance of saving for Hearts fifth. Hearts could have scored again after Naismith fed Mulraney again just outside the box but this time Hladky touched his shot away for a corner. The final whistle went shortly afterwards to signal Hearts first league win at Tynecastle since March with the result moving them up to ninth in the table. Unfortunately Hibs won 4-1 at Perth and remain a point ahead although Hearts have a better goal difference.
Ivan and I walked from Tynecastle to Westfield Road and caught a 30 bus to Lothian Road where we headed for the Shakespeare to celebrate. Natalie joined us and we all had a few drinks although I stuck to non-alcoholic beer. Natalie and I left at 20.00 and we caught a bus home for something to eat after a good day out. It had been really great to see Hearts set out with an attacking formation with the return of Naismith being a masterstroke by McPhee. Defensively there were still problems at centre-back but with John Souttar and Craig Halkett both set to return in the New Year I can only see Hearts continuing to rise up the table as the season progresses.
Teams
Hearts: Pereira; Smith, Dikamona, Berra, Hickey, Walker, Irving, Bozanic, Ikpeazu, Naismith, White.
Subs: Mulraney, Damour, Meshino.
St Mirren: Hladky, P. McGinn, Waters, S. McGinn, McLoughlin, Magennis, Obika, Andreu, Foley, Mullen, Broadfoot.
Subs: Durmus, MacKenzie, Moias.
Hearts started well and took the lead after six minutes. Ikpeazu, who seemed to be playing as a right winger with Naismith as central striker, forced a corner after a run down the right. Irving took the corner low towards the near post area where Naismith, who had made good run to lose his marker, swept the ball into the net. St Mirren equalised in twenty-one minutes. Kyle Magennis sent a ball into the Hearts box from the right. Tony Andreu headed the ball back into the centre of the box from the left where Jon Obika, who had lost his marker Diksmona, fired it high into the net giving Joel Pereira no chance. The Hearts defence appealed as there was a suspicion of offside but as Andreu had run in from deep to meet the ball and then headed it back across to Obika the referee did not entertain the appeals. In thirty-one minutes Hearts took the lead when Naismith headed a throw-in from the left onto Ikpeazu. The striker took the ball past St Mirren keeper Vaclac Hladky and from a tight angle fired the ball across goal. The ball took a deflection of St Mirren defender Sean McLoughlin in the centre of the goal area and flew into the empty net. The lead did not last long as two minutes later Christophe Berra missed a high clearance from Hladky and the ball ran through to Danny Mullen. Dikamona was unable to get across to cover and the striker ran into the penalty box before shooting low past the diving Pereira for a second equaliser. Hearts went in front again after forty-two minutes and again Naismith was involved. He chased a through ball from Irving and from a challenge by Kirk Braodfoot the ball fell to Ikpeazu who rolled it to Michael Smith on the right hand side of the penalty box. He sent a good cross Towards the far post and Oliver Bozanic leapt to head home from inside the six yard box. Five goals by half-time made an entertaining match and there was none of the booing that had been heard recently as the players left the field at halftime.
Heart started the second half quicker than in the first and scored again in forty-six minutes and without any involvement from Naismith ! Smith took a quick throw-in and the ball was returned to him by Bozanic. The full-back took a touch and then hit a good cross towards the near post. Walker jumped highest in a crowd of players and glanced a header across goal into the far side of the net. With Hearts now two ahead the pace of the game dropped a bit although Hearts were still in control. Hearts brought on Loic Damour, Jake Mulraney and Meshino for Walker, White and Ikpeazu during the second half. Walker was I think rested after his injury, White who had played more as a left sided midfielder than his normal full-back is still not fully match fit and Ikpeazu was substituted as a precaution after going down injured on the halfway line. Periera in the Hearts goal had a good save leaping to touch away a thirty yard shot from McLoughlin for a corner and this seemed to wake Hearts up again. In seventy-seven minutes Mulraney broke down the left and played a one-two with Naismith. On receiving the ball back the winger cut in past a defender to the left hand side of the penalty area just outside the box. He then hit a good shot with his right foot across goal into the far corner giving Hladky no chance of saving for Hearts fifth. Hearts could have scored again after Naismith fed Mulraney again just outside the box but this time Hladky touched his shot away for a corner. The final whistle went shortly afterwards to signal Hearts first league win at Tynecastle since March with the result moving them up to ninth in the table. Unfortunately Hibs won 4-1 at Perth and remain a point ahead although Hearts have a better goal difference.
Ivan and I walked from Tynecastle to Westfield Road and caught a 30 bus to Lothian Road where we headed for the Shakespeare to celebrate. Natalie joined us and we all had a few drinks although I stuck to non-alcoholic beer. Natalie and I left at 20.00 and we caught a bus home for something to eat after a good day out. It had been really great to see Hearts set out with an attacking formation with the return of Naismith being a masterstroke by McPhee. Defensively there were still problems at centre-back but with John Souttar and Craig Halkett both set to return in the New Year I can only see Hearts continuing to rise up the table as the season progresses.
Teams
Hearts: Pereira; Smith, Dikamona, Berra, Hickey, Walker, Irving, Bozanic, Ikpeazu, Naismith, White.
Subs: Mulraney, Damour, Meshino.
St Mirren: Hladky, P. McGinn, Waters, S. McGinn, McLoughlin, Magennis, Obika, Andreu, Foley, Mullen, Broadfoot.
Subs: Durmus, MacKenzie, Moias.
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