4th December 2019 Hearts v Livingston 1-1


Last match for me until Boxing Day tonight. as we are away on holiday for the next fortnight. This is a must win game for Heats who are in a pack of four clubs at the foot of the league table having recently been defeated at Kilmarnock 3-0 and Rangers 5-0. Interim boss Austin McPhee remains in charge although it looks likely that Daniel Stendel will be appointed shortly. He was previously manager at Barnsley but was 'relieved of his duties' earlier this season. Despite no longer being manager Barnsley are still paying him until the end of the season. The club are now demanding compensation from Hearts to release Stendel from a contract where he is no longer fulfilling his duties. We shall see what transpires there. I left the house at 18.45 and walked down to Tynecastle, arriving around fifteen minutes later to take my seat in the Main Stand to watch the teams arming up. It was a bit concerning to see Aaron Hickey leave the field during the warm-up however as he had been included in the side announced online.

McPhee made several changes to the side defeated by Rangers including the return of Bobby Zlamal in goals replacing Joel Pereira who had a bit of a nightmare at Ibrox. Elsewhere Michael Smith returned at right-back after being ill for Sundays defeat and Sean Clare, Loic Damour and Jake Mulraney also returned to the side. As I expected Hickey did not start with Jamie Brandon stepping up from the bench to replace him at left-back. Livingston fielded their usual side although it was strange to see former Hearts player Alan Lithgow, who has been with Livingston on their journey to the SPL, on the bench. Upfront Livingston had former Hearts player Scott Robinson supporting dual qualified centre-forward Lyndon Dykes. Dykes can be play for Scotland or Australia although press reports indicate that Scotland is his preferred option. 

Hearts started well and created a number of early chances with Craig Halkett heading a Mulraney cross back across goal but unable to reach Steven Naismith to apply a finishing touch. Jamie Walker then fed Naismith down the right but his shot from just inside the penalty box was straight at keeper Matija Sarkic who pushed the ball away. From Glenn Whelan's corner Halkett headed wide from inside the six yard box when it seemed easier to score. Walker then had a chance on the left but having been forced wide shot straight at Sarkic before Sean Clare was unable to reach a cross from Mulraney when a goal seemed on. During this period Livingston were physical and Christophe Berra had to go off to have a cut treated after an arial collision. Marvin Bartley barged into the back of Naismith in an arial duel and both players were injured. Bartley was booked when he got up and play continued. However after twenty-six minutes Naismith signalled to the bench that he could not continue and went off to be replaced by Steven MacLean. I initially thought this was due to Bartley's challenge but later reports indicated there may be a hamstring problem. After Naismith's departure Hearts seemed to lose their momentum and Livingston went ahead Just after the half hour. A long throw from Dykes was headed away by Berra but deflected off Halkett to the feet of Bartley. The midfielder, who had not scored for five years, turned well and shot past Zlamal from close range to give the visitors the lead. 

If the ending of the first half was bad the start of the second was worse. Livingston had good chance when after a free-kick defender Jon Guthrie headed wide after Dykes had flicked the ball across the goal. Uche Ikpeazu replaced the ineffectual Damour after fifty-five minutes and there-after both sides reverted to a long ball approach. The ball seemed to be constantly in the air as both sides belted it aimlessly upfield without making any chances. Ikpeazu is a big strong centre-forward but heading is not his forte and he was helpless as high punts were headed clear by the Livingston defence. Ryotaro Meshino replaced Walker with about fifteen minutes to go as Hearts pressed for an equaliser and thankfully some football then broke out. Whelan had a shot from the edge of the box palmed away for a corner by Sarkic after a Mulraney cross. Meshino then came close when he beat two players on the edge of the penalty area but his shot hit another defender and spun into the side netting. Hearts finally equalised in eighty-seven minutes when Ikpeazu had a header from a Whelan corner blocked. The ball broke of a defender to MacLean who shot home from close range in almost a carbon copy of Bartley's earlier finish. MacLean had a good chance in injury time when a good passing movement with Whelan and Mulraney left him clear on the right hand side of the penalty area. Unfortunately he sliced his shot past the post. The final whistle came as a relief and Hearts new manager will have a big job on his hands to rebuild confidence in what is, on paper, a talented squad of players.

After the game I walked home arriving back at 10.05 just as Natalie was going total Rufus out for his last walk of the day. As I had a jacket on I gallantly volunteered to take him down to the car-spark to do his business. 


Teams
Hearts: Zlamal, Smith, Berra, Clare, Walker, Mulraney, Whelan, Naismith , Damour, Halkett, Brandon. 
Subs: Maclean, Ikpeazu, Meshino


Livingston: Sarkic, Taylor-Sinclair, Sibbald, Lamie, Guthrie, Bartley, Pittman, Robinson, Lawless, Jacobs, Dykes. 
Subs: Lawson, Erskine, Odoffin

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