22nd April 2023 Hearts 6 Ross County 1

 

With todays game being live on Sky the kickoff was brought forward to 12.30. I left home around 11.40 to walk to Tynecastle and arrived around 12.00. I scanned my ticket for entry and wandered up to the concourse where I looked to see if there was anyone I knew. Never saw anyone so went up to my seat in the main stand where I was slagged off for being later in arriving that I normally do. I had a chat with those around me about last weeks derby and we all agreed that it was a gutless performance from Hearts. Hopefully todays game would be better. 

Interim manager Steven Naismith made a few changes from last weeks side. Nate Atkinson replaced the injured Michael Smith at right back, Peter Haring returned to central midfield replacing Jorge Grant, Alan Forrest was replaced by Josh Ginnelly up front and surprisingly Yatoro Oda replaced Andy Halliday in a number ten role. Oda has not had much game time since joining Hearts in the January transfer window and it would be interesting to see how he performs.  Ross County are struggling near the foot of the SPL and a defeat today could leave them at the foot of the table. Former Hearts loanee Connor Randall was at right back for County but other than striker Jordan White I did not know much about the rest of the side. 

Hearts went ahead in seventeen minutes. Lawrence Shankland and Ginnelly linked up well before setting Cochrane free on the right. His shot from the edge of the penalty area out Hearts 1-0 up. The second goal arrived four minutes later. Cammy Devlin won the ball in midfield and sent a pass forward for Ginnelly to run onto on the right. He ran into the penalty area and jinked past a defender before curling a shot into the top left hand corner of the goal. It looked aabrilliant goal until the linesman raided his flag for offside against Ginnelly. Thankfully a VAR check overturned the offside decision and Ginnelly celebrated his goal for the second time. The third goal came after twenty-nine minutes when Barrie McKay sent Cochrane free down the left. His cross towards the back post was perfect for Shankland who headed the ball back across goal into the far corner of the net. Shankland should have had a second minutes later when he ran onto a Toby Sibbick pass down the right. His lob from outside the penalty area beat Ross Laidlaw in the County goal but bounced away off the crossbar. As the first half moved into injury time Devlin had a shot saved by the diving Laidlaw. As Shankland went to collect the rebound he was tripped from behind. The referee waved play on but a VAR check gave the penalty. Shankland had already taken the ball to the penalty stop before the penalty was awarded and had no difficulty in slotting the ball past Laidlaw for a four goal lead  at halftime. 

County had never threatened in the first half but early in the second half White hit the bar with a header when a long throw-in was flicked on. This stirred Hearts back into action and Ginnelly scored a fifth goal after fifty minutes. The striker cut in from the right from the left and fired a low shot past Laidlaw to about twenty yards. Minutes later Hearts went six up. Oda who I thought had a really good game broke into the County penalty box. His shot was blocked by a defender but rebounded to Shankland. The striker took a touch and then curled a shot into the top corner of the net for his second hat-trick of the season. Oda then found Ginnelly who had his shot blocked by Laidlaw before Devlins attempt from the rebound hit the bar. Hearts were playing some really good football although things quietened down as both teams brought on a number of substitutes. County pulled a goal back in injury time after a penalty was awarded when Cochrane brought down substitute Owure Edwards. I thought that the referee should have given Hearts a free-kick after Edwards grabbed Cochrane round the neck earlier in the move. Edwards beat Clark from the spot-kick but a six one victory cannot be sniffed at !

I walked home after the match feeling quite happy. Ok, County are far from the best side in the SPL but Hearts attitude towards seemed to have changed. Passes were going forward rather than back or square and there seemed to be a desire to play winning football. The MOM voted at Tynecastle were Shankland and Cochrane. While they both played well I would have given the award to Oda. As a twenty-one year given his first full game in a foreign country I thought he played really well. He was taking players on and making incisive passes and can I think be a key player with more experience. 

Teams

Hearts: Clark, Haring, Shankland, Atkinson, Devlin, Rowles, McKay, Cochrane, Sibbick, Ginnelly, Oda.

Subs: Grant, Kiomourtzoglou, Halliday, Humphrys,Hil

Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Iacovitti, Smith, Harmon, Cancola, Loturi, Kenneh, Sims, Murray, White 

Subs:  Baldwin, Owura, Tillson,Stones