20th August 2023. Hearts 4 Patrick Thistle 0

Todays League Cup game should have been played yesterday but was pushed back to today due to Hearts European commitments, although surprisingly the kick-off was 14.00 rather than the normal 15.00. I had an early lunch and left for the match around 13.15. I scanned my digital ticket from my phone for entry, seasons tickets are only available for SPL matches. I remember in the pass your paper season ticket book used to cover all first team home matches at Tynecastle. I went up to my seat in section R to watch the remainder off the sides warm-up sessions before settling down for the match.

Hearts made a number of changes for todays match. Into the side came Odel Offiah (a fullback or centre half signed on a season long loan from Brighton), Clemen Nieuwenhof, Toby Sibbick, Barrie McKay (making his first start of the season) and Kenneth Vargas (also making his first start). The changes showed the strength of the Hearts squad with the bench also having a number of experienced players. Patrick Thistle, under manager Kris Doolan, reached the playoff final for an SPL place. Unfortunately after a 3-3 aggregate draw with Ross County they lost after a penalty shootout. While they qualified for the League Cup knockout stages they have made a slow start to the league campaign and have only one point from their first two matches. However with players like top goal-scorer Brian Graham, wingers Aidan Fitzpatrick and Steven lawless I am sure they will soon be back on a winning streak. Hearts and Patrick, along with Stranraer were the three teams relegated when the leagues were stopped as a result of the Covid pandemic. Given all three teams had games still to play and could have moved out of the relegation spots there is a bond between all three clubs and their supporters. 

Hearts started the match well and took the lead in ten minutes. Vargas won a corner which was taken by Alex Lowry. she ball was floated towards the back post where Frankie Kent headed it back across goal. Partick's Graham was standing in his teams six yard box and the ball was deflected into the net as it bounced of his foot. Hearts had the bulk of the possession but the only real attempt on gaol came from a Lowry free-kick which hit the Thistle defensive wall and was cleared. Just before half-time Hearts scored a second and again from the corner. This time Lowry launched the ball towards the centre of the goal and Offiah powered in to send a header into the net of the underside of the crossbar. There were a couple of claims from Thistle players that the ball had not crossed the goal-line as it bounced back into play but from where I was sitting and, more importantly, from the referees viewpoint it was clear that the ball had hit the underside of the goal net before bouncing back out. 

Three minutes into the second half Hearts scored a third. Shankland robbed the ball from Aaron Muirhead and raced in on goal where he shot past keeper Mitchell from just inside the penalty area on the left. With the match now safe Hearts began to ring the changes with Aidan Denholm, Kyosuke Tagawa, Stephen Kingsley, and Liam Boyce all coming on as substitutes. Captain Shankland was among this given a rest and the armband was passed to keeper Zander Clark. Boyce almost scored when Mitchell made a good save as the Irishman ran onto a lay-off i the penalty box. However Lowry set up a fourth goal when he fed the ball through to Tagawa who ran forward and from just outside the penalty box shot home for his first Hearts goal. Theme petered out after this with Hearts happy to retain possession although Vargas came close after a good run but he failed to control a return pass in the penalty area with the goal gaping. The final whistle blew with Hearts safely though to the next round. The draw was made later after the finish of the Kilmarnock v Celtic match. Kilmarnock had surprisingly beaten Celtic and Hearts now have to travel to Klmarnocks plastic pitch for their next tie.

I walked home happy after what was a competent rather than an exciting performance from Hearts. However the result wa leasing with Lowry deservedly winning the Man of the Match award. I am now looking forward to Thursday match against PAOK in the Europa Conference League qualifier. 

 

Teams

Hearts: Clark, Offiah, Rowles, Kent, Cochrane, Nieuwenhof, Sibbick, Lowry, McKay, Vargas, Shankland 

Subs: Denholm, Kingsley, Tagawa, Boyce, Halliday. 

 

Partick Thistle: Mitchell, McMillan, Muirhead, Williams, Milne, Williamson, McInroy, Bannigan, Lawless, Fitzpatrick, Graham.

Subs:  Ngwenya, Adeloye, Stanway, Lyon.