21st May 2022 Rangers 2 Hearts 0

 

This is it, the big day, the Scottish Cup Final. The first thing peg I did after the semi-final win over Hibs was to book the Megabus for the final. I am booked on the 10.00 bus to Glasgow and 19.00 back home, in case of extra time and penalties delaying the end of the match. Woke up feeling a bit queasy (cup Final nerves ?)  and decided to forgo breakfast before walking to the bus station in St Andrew’s Square. I arrived just as the 9.45 bus was leaving and waited until the 10.00 bus started loading at 9.55. I showed my booking confirmation and concession card to the driver and took a seat upstairs next to a window. My return trip cost me £1 in booking fees as the fare was covered by my concession card as it was a scheduled service. The journey out was slow with further pickups at Princes Street, Haymarket and Corstorphine meaning the bus was full by the time we got into the M8 at the Newbridge roundabout. There was one stop, at Harthill, where a few people got off before we hit Glasgow. The bus diverted through Ballieston where there were a few people getting off and on the bus. We finally arrived at Buchanan Street bus station around 11.45, around twenty minutes later than the timetable. I wandered around central Glasgow for around ninety minutes, grabbing a burger and chips for lunch before heading to Central station around 13.30. £2.70 bought me a return ticket to Mount Florida and I caught a train packed with both Hearts and Rangers fans as there was no segregation in force before the game. On arrival I walked past Hampden to check the route to Kings Park station for the return journey to central Glasgow given segregation would apply after the game. Returned to Hampden and entered the ground around 14.30. I met one old my old bosses, Harry, In the ground before I headed to my seat. I was in the last seat in the Hearts area before the security barrier to separate the Rangers fans. Thankfully there were numerous police and stewards seated between the two sets of fans to keep an eye on any potential trouble spots. 

Hearts switched back to the 5-3-2 formation which had been successful earlier in the season. Nate Atkinson replaced Michael Smith at right wing-back with John Souttar and Craig Halkett returning in central defence replacing Toby Sibbick and Gary Mackay-Steven. All three replaced players dropped to the bench. I was surprised to see both Souttar and Halkett returning to the side considering neither have not played a full match for some time due to injury. However manager Ripobbie Neilson wanted to field his best defenders in this vital game. Rangers had been defeated by.Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final in penalties on Wednesday night. They made a number of changes to that starting eleven bringing in John McLaughlin, Leon Balogun, Scott Arfield , Steven David and  Ahmad Diallo. Aaron Ramsay who missed a vital penalty in the shootout against Frankfurt remained on the bench. 

The game started badly for Hearts with Peter Haring receiving a yellow card after four minutes for a lunging tackle on Rangers Calvin Bassey. Some fans were criticising referee Willie Collum for his decision but I thought the card was correct. The tuning point of the game came in ten minutes Atkinson sent Liam Boyce free on the right hand side of the penalty area. I thought Boyce should have shot across McLaughlin into the goal but he seemed to pull his shot. Ellis Simms slid in to attempt to score at the far post but his attempt cane off the outside of the post for a fruitless corner.  The game was then mostly played in midfield although Craig Gordon saved a long range shot from Arfield before Barrie McKay shot over the bar for Hearts from twenty yards. As the  game moved towards halftime Rangers had a spell in ascendancy with Run Kent on the left giving Atkinson a tough time defensively especially when he was backed up by overlapping left-back Bassey. Joe Aribo sent a header wide for Rangers before Diallo headed over the bar. 

The second half began as the first ended with Rangers on top although both Souttar and Halkett in central defence were playing well preventing any clear chances for Rangers. Kent had a chance almost on the hour mark when he raced through chasing a long ball. Gordon however rushed from his goal to smother the ball in the penalty area. As the game moved towards the ninety minute mark Balogun headed over the bar from a James Tavernier corner before Gordon managed to push away a shot from Aribo with his foot. From the resulting corner Substitute Scott Wright headed against the bar before the final whistle went signally extra-time.

Four minutes into extra time Rangers went ahead when Halkett headed a corner clear. The ball fell to substitute Ryan Jack twenty yards from goal and he hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner of Gordon's net. Three minutes later Rangers scored a second. A break lead to a three against two situation as Rangers moved swiftly forward. Kent passed to Wright on his right and the winger shot low across Gordon into the net from just inside the penalty area. Hearts did not appear to have an way back now and Rangers continued to press forward. I gave up with five minutes to go and left to head to the station for a train back into central Glasgow. It had been a disappointing day for Hearts and was possibly summed up when Boyce went of injured with the striker being replaced by midfielder/defender Andy Halliday. It seemed from halftime onwards that it had been Hearts who had played in. I’d-week as Rangers took control of the game.

The train was packed on the way back to Glasgow although I managed to get a seat. From Central I walked to the bus station and managed to catch the 18.15 despite being booked on a later service. The journey home was quicker than the outward journey and I got off the bus at Haymarket. Despite the disappointment today Hearts have had a good season finishing a clear third in the SPL which guarantees a minimum of eight European games next season in either the Europa League or the Europa Conference. Season ticket already renewed and I cannot wait for next season.

Teams
Rangers: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Bassey, Lundstram, Goldson, Diallo, Davis, Kent, Aribo, Balogun, Arfield.

Subs: Wright, Jack, Kamara, Sakala, McGregor

Hearts: Gordon, Kingsley, Souttar, Haring, Boyce, Atkinson, Devlin, Cochrane, McKay, Halkett, Simms. 

Subs: Halliday, Ginnelly, Mackay-Steven, McEneff