12th November 2022 Hearts 1 Livingston 1

 

Today was the closest date to Remembrance Sunday and Hearts issued a special programme to commemorate the players who signed up and died in WW1. I wore my 2014/2015 Hearts shirt in memory of those who gave up their lives. This was the only Hearts shirt for about forty years without a sponsor on the front but felt appropriate as a memory of those who gave up their lives.I left home just after 14.00 and walked down to Tynecastle. My old schoool, Boroughmuir, had their pipe band playing on the Foundation Plaza so I stopped to listen for a few minutes. Before anyone asks I did not play in the band when I was at school  as my musical talent is nil. I entered the ground with my electronic season ticket and headed up to my seat to watch the sides warning up. 

Hearts injury problems are now easing slightly with Kye Rowles having returned to the side at Ibrox on Wednesday and Craig Halkett not fit enough for a place on the bench. Peter Haring is still out with concussion and Andy Halliday pulled up in the warmup with an Achilles problem with Cammy Devlin coming off the bench to replace him. Devlin is one of the three Hearts players included in the Australian squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar along with Rowles and Nate Atkinson. Livingston, under manager David Martindale, are what I would  call a stuffy side as they are never going to win anything but can cause the better sides problems. They have an appalling artificial pitch at the Tony Macaroni Stadium which causes problems for visiting side who require time to adjust to the surface. However they do have some ex-Hearts players in the squad with Jason Holt in midfield and Isma Goncalves, a striker, although not sure if all Hearts fans would agree, on the bench. 

To be honest this was not the best match I have seen the season. Hearts had an early chance when Barrie McKay found Alex Cchrane on the left. His low cross came to Lawrence Shankland in the centre of the penalty area but his attempt flew high and wide over the air. Hearts had 80 %

on the first half possession but the Livingston defence held them back well with the twin centre backs of Jack Fitzwater and Ayo Obileye stopping Hearts having an real attempts on goal. Shankland had another chance after another Cochrane cross but both his first attempt and the rebound were blocked by the Lvingston defenders. I was that fed up after the first half that I wandered down to the concourse for a sausage roll and a Diet Coke at halftime. I resent paying the price Hearts charge for food and drink but was that fed up with the game that I needed food. 

The second half was much the same until about ten minutes in when Andrew Shinnie ran onto a keckout by keeper Ivan Kolanov. Shinnie knocked the ball to Steven Kelly who had Joe Nboule on his left. Kelly however stepped to his his left and set a low shot past Craig Gordon to give Livingston the lead. Hearts had a chance with twenty minutes left when a header from Rowles from a Cochrane cross hit the Livingston cross bar. However things got worse for Hearts after seventy-five minutes after a VAR check The check showed that Rowles had pulled Ndouble’s shirt as he attempted a shot at goal. Livingston were awarded a penalty after a long delay and Rowles was shown a red card for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. I do not understand why the offence was denying a clear goal scoring opportunity when Gordon saved Noubles shot. Kelly took the penalty and Gordon dived to his left as Kelly tried to shoot down the middle of the goal. The kick was blocked by Gordon’s trailing foot and bounced out of play. Shortly afterwards Hearts took of substitute Connor Smith and replaced him with centre-back Craig Halkett. Smith had eleven minutes on the pitch ! I can understand the rationale for the change but what will it do for a young players confidence. A similar thing happened to Tommy Harrison in the 1990s when after coming on as a substitute he was substituted and never seen in the Hearts first team again. There was another VAR check with minutes to go after a Cochrane challenge on Livingston’s Nicky Devlin. I thought it was a hard but fair challenge and eventually play restarted with a Hearts throw in although Cochrane looked like he thought he was going to follow Rowles to the dressing room. In the sixth minute of the sven minutes extra time time. A fantastic pass from Micael Smith sent substitute Alan Forrest free down the right. Despite claims from Livingston for handball Forrest sent a low cross into the penalty box. The ball came back back to Josh Ginnelly about fifteen yards from goal on the right of the box. The shot flew into the top corner of the goal to send the crowd and Heaats manager Robbie Neilson wild wth delight. Neilson ran onto the pitch and knelt to sale the fans which resulted in a yellow card.

As I walked home after the game I had mixed feelings. Yes Hearts had most of the possession but never made many clear chances. However defensively they were far better than earlier in the season. I still think Hearts have a really stronger squad and can certainly finish third in the SPL and maybe even second if Rangers dismal form continues. It will be interesting to see what happens after the World Cup break and the January transfer window. 

Teams

Hearts: Gordon, M. Smith, Rowles, Sibbick, Cochrane, Devlin, Kiomourtzoglou, Snodgrass, Ginnelly, Shankland, McKay.

Subs: Forrest, C. Smith, Halkett

 

Livingston: Konovalov, Devlin, Obileye, Fitzwater, Montano, Kelly, Holt, Nouble, Shinnie, Kelly, Omeonga

Subs: Pittman, Bahamboula