2nd October 2021. Hearts 2 Motherwell 0

 

Second game today and back to Tynecastle. The Scottishh Government have declared that sporting events with crowds of over 10,000 will require spectators to show proof of COVID vaccination before entry. The law was meant to come in force from 1st October but a fourteen day grace period has now be implemented to allow clubs to prepare for the checking procedure. An app was launched on Thursday evening and I tried four times on Friday to set it up. However due to number of people downloading the app the information was not downloading probably. Finally managed to set it up this morning before heading to Dalkeith. With having to take photo of passport or driving licence along with biometric testing the setup was not easy. I left home at 14.15 to walk down to Tynecastle after getting back from Dalkeith. Arrived at 14.30 and a cordon had been set up in front of the turnstiles for checking covid status. Checking was not very thorough as I was merely asked if I had been vaccinated before walking towards turnstiles. I had not had anything to eat since breakfast but headed direct to my seat rather than pay £2.60 for a Tynecastle pie. 

It promised to be an interesting game today with hearts unbeaten in the SPL while Motherwell have only lost to His on the opening Day of the season. With John Souttar no yet recovered from injury Hearts named the same starting eleven who defeated Livingston last week. Taylor Moore continued in Souttar's place on the right of the fence while the only change on the bench was the inclusion of the injury-free Josh Ginnelly in place of Aaron McEneff. Motherwell, now managed by former Scottish internationalist Graham Alexander, Have signed number of new players using their managers contacts in the English Lower leagues. Jordan Roberts, on loan to Motherwell from Hearts, was ineligible to play today under the terms of the loan agreement. Tony Watt, a short-term signing for Hearts at one stage, promised to be the main man for Motherwell up front. 

Hearts took the lead in Four minutes, Beni Baningime played a pass forward to Barrie McKay who turned the ball on for Liam Boyce. Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly came out to challenge and tripped Boyce as the ball ran towards the byeline. Motherwell protested but the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Boyce scored confidently into the corner sending Kelly the wrong way.  Hearts continued to play some decent football with Motherwell dangerous on the break. The  second goal came after twenty-two minutes when Baningime was tripped just outside the penalty area. Ben Woodburn and Steven Kingsley stood over the ball before Kingsley fired the kick into the top corner of the net giving Kelly no chance of making a save.  Woodburn almost scored his first Hearts goal after around thirty-five minutes when Kelly tipped his shot from the edge of the penalty area over the bar. Right on half-time Watt it a twenty-five yard shot at goal which Craig Gordon tipped over the bar. Gordon then blocked a header from Motherwell’s Bevis Mugabi from the corner before grabbing the resultant scuffed follow-up shot. 

Hearts started the second half brightly and won another penalty ten minutes into the half. Cammy Devlin was pushed in the back as he went to shoot from about twelve yards and again the referee had no hesitation in awarding the kick. Boyce again took the kick but Kelly dived across goal to push away his effort towards the left of his goal. The ball had been hit at a good height for the diving keeper to make the ground to stop a goal. Motherwell then had a good chance when Kaiyne Woolery broke down the right wing. His shot from just inside the penalty area again brought Gordon into action. The keeper dived to his right to push the ball away from danger. Hearts lost Craig Halkett when he went down injured just inside his own half. Andy Halliday came on as substitute in the left wing-back role with Alex Cochrane moving inside to central defence to cover Halkett’s absence. Hearts seemed to lose their way a bit from then on but defended well to prevent Motherwell getting a goal to put them back in the game. Motherwell's Scotland full-back Steven O’Donnell shot wildly past the far post when a pass across the penalty box way have been the better option. O’Donnell then sent over an excellent cross in the dying minutes of the game. Gordon however leapt to turn Juhani Ojala’s header over the bar. 

I walked home happy after another excellent Hearts performance. The win put Hearts on top of the SPL table and they could stay there of the Rangers v Hibs game tomorrow ends in a draw. I met Craig with harper and Harpers pal Jayden on the way home. They had been at the game and popped in to see Carlos our new puppy before heading back to their house. 

Teams

Hearts: Gordon, Moore, Halkett, Kingsley, Smith, Devlin, Cochrane, Baningime, Boyce, Woodburn, McKay. 

Subs not used: Halliday, Mackay-Steven, Haring.

Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, Mugabi, Ojala, McGinley, O'Hara, Slattery, Grimshaw , Watt, Woolery, van Veen . 

Subs not used: Amaluzor, Shields