13th July 2021. Hearts 3 Cove Rangers 0

 

Well at last my first chance to watch Hearts at Tynecastle for 494 days. It is the longest period i have had without being at Tynecastlle since 1967. With Covid restrictions still in force Hearts held a ballot for season ticket holders who wished to attend this initial home game in the Premier Sports cup group stages. Originally the crowd was to be restricted to 200 fans but permission was granted for 2000 and I was successful in the ballot. My season ticket only covers home league matches so  I had to pay £5 for tonights ticket. I will not be in my usual seat in the Main Stand but instead in Section C of the Wheatfield stand. My season ticket used to be in Section E of the Wheatfield and C is the section on the other side of the halfway line to where I used to sit. I left home at 18.45 and walked to Tynecastle. I had a bit further to walk as I had to enter by the Wheatfield gates. Walking passed the Gorgie stand I noticed that fans were queueing as they wait to be searched by stewards before entering the ground. The same was happening at the Wheatfield stand but the queue moved forward quickly. I still do not understand why there is a need for a search now when this was not the case pre-Covid. I had a good seat in the lower upper tier just to the right of the halfway line and an excellent view of the team warming up. The atmosphere built up well and there was a great cheer when the Hearts side emerged from the Main stand dressing rooms for the game. Hearts new captain Craig Gordon lost the coin toss and Hearts changed ends to attack the Gorgie Road goal in the first half.

The Hearts side showed two changes from the win at Peterhead on Saturday. Andy Halliday and Finlay Pollock can into midfield replacing Peter Haring and Aaron McEneff. Pollock was making his first competitive start in the first team following impressive displays in the pre-season matches. Cove included Mitch Megginson in the side. Megginson joined Cove in 2016 and has been scoring goals for fun as they have risen from the Highland League to League One. Ross Draper and Ian Vigurs, signed form Inverness on expiry of their contracts , were also included in the starting line-up. Former Celtic youth player Broque Watson, who played on loan to Spartans for a spell, was included on the Cove bench.

Hearts had an early scare when Leighton McIntosh ran onto a deflected pass from Ian Vigurs. From the right-hand side of the penalty area he chipped the ball over keeper Gordon as he raced from goal. The attempt lack power and Michael Smith got back to clear the ball before it could cross the goal-line. Alex Cochrane set up the first goal in thirteen minutes by passing infield to Josh Ginnelly on the left. Ginnelly squared the ball to Andy Halliday twenty-five yards from goal. Halliday could not see an available pass so he fired a low shot into the corner of the net past the diving Craig Gourlay. Hearts next chance fell to the impressive Pollock. He and Ginnelly broke from midfield. Pollock's pass to Ginnelly was slightly overhit but the winger managed to return the ball to Pollock in the penalty box. The midfielder had to turn before shooting and his effort beat Gourlay but rebounded off the post and out of play. Michael Smith had a great chance after Liam Boyce dummied a Halliday pass on the edge of the penalty box. The ball fell into the path of a forward run from Smith but Gourlay got a touch to his shot to prevent a goal. The second goal arrived just before the halftime whistle when Gourlay could only clear a Smith cross to Boyce who shot into the empty net. 

The second half continued as the first with Hearts dominating play. Gary Mackay-Steven blazed an early chance over the bar after a running the box. He made up for this with the second goal in fifty-four minutes when he scored Hearts third. He dispossessed Scott Ross on the edge of the penalty area following a short goal-kick and fired the ball past Gourlay. After this goal Hearts began to make changes to give the full squad some game time. Despite the changes they continued to make chances. Ginnelly had a great chance after running on to a pass from Michael Smith into the penalty area. He took the ball past a defender but shot straight at Gourlay. Towards the end of the game McEneff was played in by Boyce. His shot was saved by Gourlay and McEneff could only head the rebound past the post. Boyce then played  one-two with Henderson but again Gourlay saved Cove. Gordon celebrated a new Hearts record with nine shut-outs consecutively in competitive matches. Other than a late diving header from Rory McAllister which went past the post he was not tested in the second half. I was a bit surprised when the fourth official signalled only two minutes injury time given there had been eight substitutions and two injury stoppages in the second half. However given the official was the "infamous' Willie Collum maybe I should not have  been surprised.

I walked home content in a slight drizzle after the game. A return to Tynecastle and Hearts top of their Premier Sports group with six points and no goals conceded. Highlight of the game for me was the performance at Pollock. At only seventeen he has the vision to pick out a good pass and is also not afraid to get forward himself. The key thing however for me is that despite his age he is not reluctant to get involved in challenges, both making and receiving. All in all an great return to watching competitive football. 

Teams

Hearts: Gordon, M. Smith, Kingsley, Souttar, Boyce, Mackay-Steven, Halliday, Cochrane, Halkett, Ginnelly, Pollock. 

Subs: Haring, McEneff, Henderson, C. Smith, Denholm

Cove Rangers: Gourlay, Neill, Milne, Scully, Ross , Yule, Megginson, McIntosh, Draper, Vigurs, Fyvie. 

Subs: Watson, McAllister, Watson.