14th May 2022. Hearts 1 Rangers 3

 

Last SP match of the season, at home with third playing second in a rehearsal for next weeks Scottish Cup final. With both sides secure in their league positions and Rangers also playing in the Europa League final. before next weeks final I am unsure how seriously both sides will take todays match. With the game being a 12.15 kickoff I was going to have a brunch a brunch before setting off to Tynecastle. The match was originally going to be shown live on Sky but as Celtic have already won the league Sky switched to cover their game. I had been out in the morning delivering James’ birthday card for tomorrow and got home about 11.15. Craig and family arrived at the same time as I did as they wanted to use my wi-fi to download apps to Harmoni’s new phone before heading to Tynecastle. I gave Craig wi-fi password before having a Cornish Pasty for the brunch. I left them with Natalie and Carlos around 11.30 to head to Tynecastle, arriving around 11.45. The ground was filling up but atmosphere was a bit subdued due to the fact there was nothing at stake today. 

Hearts fielded a strong side with both Michael Smith and Cammy Devlin making their first starts for some time. John Souttar and Craig Halkett were both on the bench and were looking to get some game time ahead of next weeks cup final. Rangers had rested most of there regular squad with former Hearts keeper Jon. McLaughlin coming into the side along with Steven Davis, Aaron Ramsay and Cedric Itten. A number of players from their Lowland League B side were also included both in the side and on the bench. I do not agree with B sides being included in senior football and feel that the SPL should reinstate the reserve league which operated before the Covid panic. If B teams need to compete in the lower leagues they should start in the lowest level rather than the fifth level Lowland League as currently is happening with both Rangers and Celtic. 

To be honest with nothing at stake for either side here was an air of a training match about this game. The first incident of note came in twelve minutes when Liam boyce chased a through ball. He pulled up in the edge of the Rangers penalty area with what appeared to be a muscle injury. He attempted to play on but then sat down forcing the referee to stop play. The Hearts physio came on to assist him and helped him from the field to be replaced by Josh Ginnelly. With the Cup Final  next week I can only hope it is a minor problem. Hearts took the  lead in twenty-one minutes. Smith sent a ball down the channel into the penalty box. Ellis Simms he’d up the ball inside the box under pressure from a Rangers defender. The striker then knocked the ball back to enter Haring on the edge of the are. His first-time shot across goal curled into the fa corner of the net to give Hearts the lead. Rangers equalised in thirty-three minutes. Cedric Itten had a shot blocked by the feet of Craig Gordon at the expense of a corner as the ball flew up and over the cross-bar. Alex Lowry's corner was met by a header from Itten after a run towards the near post. The header from ten yards flew into the net giving Gordon no chance. Barrie McKay had a chance when he raced through the centre of the Rangers deference from the halfway line. I thought he was pushed in the back by a chasing defender as he entered the penalty box. McLaughlin raced from his goal to gather the ball at McKay’s feet but I am sure if McKay had gone down a penalty would have been awarded with a possible red card for the defender denying a goal scoring opportunity. Rangers took the lead in first half injury time. Lowry ran down the left and as he moved into the penalty area jinked to the side of Smith before firing a low shot into the far corner of the net. 

If the first half was a training game the second half seemed more like a youth team match. Rangers brought on five members of their ‘B side as substitutes bringing off experienced players including Arron Ramsay and Steven Davis. Hearts also used a further four substitutes in Nate Atkinson, Andy Halliday, John Souttar and Craig Halkett. The arrival of Halliday was greeted by chants from the Rangers fans in appreciation of their former favourite. McKay had two chances in the second half, firstly shooting a volley from the edge of the box over the bar and then after playing a one-two wth Gary Mackay-Steven shooting past the post. Despite this Rangers looked to be in control of the match an although not troubling Gordon seemed to be playing some good football without creating many chances. Charlie McCann pulled a shot wide when it looked easier to score before a third goal arrived in eight won minutes. Cole McKinnon collected a pass from fellow substitute Ross McCausland, turned to shoot home from ten yards. Tony Weston then headed wide for another cross when he should have scored a fourth. Hearts finally forced McLaughlin into a save when he palmed away a shot from Toby Sibbick from outside the penalty area. 

Hearts had announced that the players would be returning for a lap of honour after the final whistle and asked fans to remain to salute the side. I did not stay for this and headed home disappointed. I can only hope that the team were, unconsciously, saving themselves for the final next week as without a vast improvement in their performance the cup will not be returning to Tynecastle.

Teams

Hearts: Gordon, Cochrane, Sibbick, Kingsley, Devlin, Smith, Haring, McKay, Mackay-Steven, Simms, Boyce. 

Subs: Ginnelly, Atkinson, Souttar, Halliday, Halkett

Rangers: McLaughlin, Devine, Sands, King, Balogun, Arfield, Ramsey, Davis, Lowry, Dialllo, Itten. 

Subs: McCann, McKinnon, Simpson, McCausland, Weston.