9th July 2022 Hearts 5 Bonnyrigg Rose 0

First Hearts match at Tynecastle this season with SPFL newcomers Bonnyrigg Rose playing in a friendly. I had seen Bonnyrigg play once before at Tynecastle when a Scottish Cup tie against Hibs was switched from Bonnyrigg to Tynecastle. Hibs win 8-1 but I still say Bonnyrigg won on penalties as third goal came from the spot while Hibs goals were all from open play.  I left home at 13.45 and walked along the canal towards Ogilvie Terrace. I then walked down to Robertson Avenue and along Gorgie Road to Tynecastle. The weather was beautiful and I arrived at Tynecastle around 14.15 before entering the ground. I had been unable to get my normal seat on the online booking so was sitting in section P rather than my usual section Q.

Hearts had Craig Gordon back in goal for the first time this season. Joe Wright remained in central defence as a Trialist alongside Lewis Neilson and Stephen Kingsley. Cammy Devlin was in central midfield with Peter Haring and Michael  Smith while upfront Liam Boyce was supported by Josh Ginnelly and Alan Forrest. Bonnyrigg had a strong team out but it was surprising that both Johnny Stewart and Kieran McGachie were not included in the squad. In addition the Rose included four trialists on the bench. 

It was a stangematch in a way with hearts having most of the possession but were unable to create clear changes in the first half especially. Michael Smith had a early chance with a header which hit the post from a Ginnelly but Bonnyrigg defended well. The first goal eventually came in forty minutes with Smith again involved. He cut the ball bak from the byeline towards Haring on the edge of the penalty box. Haring back heeled the ball onto to Grant around fifteen yards from goal and his shot gave Michael Weir in the Bonnyrigg goal no chance of making a save. I was impressed by Grant in the first half as he looked a tidy player with some good passes and clever runs. In addition he was accurate with corners from the left.

The second half started much the same as the first with Hearts having most of the ball but unable to create clear changes. However just on the hour mark Alex Cochrane broke into the penalty area and was taken down by Dean Brett. The referee had a clear view and awarded Hearts a penalty. Surprising Peter Haring took the kick and gave Weir no chance with a well stuck shot. Brett then decided take out his frustration about the penalty award with a poor challenge from behind on Haring near the halfway line. Brett then decided to have a go at Haring for what he thought was a dive and ended up with a yellow card as Haring was being treated by the physio. Substitutions continued to be made by both sides with unusually both goalkeepers being replaced. Hearts scored a fourth in eighty-one minutes when McKay took a short corner to Cochrane who laid it off to Aaron McEneff just outside the penalty area on the left. The  midfielder looked up and curled a shot into the far corner of the net. With a minute to go Hearts scored again and again McEneff was involved with a through ball into the path of fellow substitute Euan Henderson. The forward was free of the defence and hit a low shot into the corner of the net past Andrews from the edge of the penalty box. The referee blew the final whistle as the kickoff was taken after a competent performance from Hearts against a strong defensive performance from Bonnyrigg. 

I walked home happy after the game although harder challenges will come for Hearts with thirty matches due before the mid-winter World Cup break..

Hearts: Gordon, M. Smith, Kingsley, Trialist, Neilson , Cochrane, Haring, Devlin, Forrest, Grant, Boyce.

Subs: Stewart, Halliday, McEneff, Henderson, Sibbick, C. Smith, McKay

Bonnyrigg: Weir, Brett, Martyniuk , Young, Doan, Horne, Hunter, S. Gray, Barrett , Connolly, Smith Subs: Turner, Hall, Andrews, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist