20th January 2024 The Spartans 1 Hearts 2

 

Well here it is my first match of 2024 after a spell of illness. Really looking forward to today’s Scottish Cup tie with Edinburghs two top sides in competition. When the draw was made I thought Spartans would switch the game to a larger stadium but fair play they are staying at Ainslie Park. Police have agreed a crowd limit of 3500 and the game is live on BBC Scotland. I left home at 11.00 and walked to Tollcross to catch a bus to Ainslie Park. A 23 came first and I took that to Goldenacre and then walked along Ferry Road towards the ground. I usually get into Ainslie Park alongside the leisure centre but today all Hearts fans had to enter by the little used Pilton Drive entrance. I made my way there and got through the entrance to find that the terracing where Hearts fans were located was like a mud bath after recent heavy rain. I made my way through the mud to the far side of the ground and found a space near the perimeter fence standing on a concrete. A good decision as people standing on the grassy embankments were slipping and sliding all over the place with a number of people falling in the muddy conditions. 

It was a strange game for Hearts who had a weakened team out. Nate Atkinson and Kye Rowles were away with the Australian side at the Asian Cup. Barrie McKay and Cammy Devlin were out with longer term injuries while Lawrence Shankland was out after talking ill yesterday. Youtoro Oda and Youshire Tagawa came into the side and Craig Gordon came back in goal for the first time in over a year after his leg break. On the bench today Hearts included B team players James Wilson, Finlay Pollock, Macauley Tait and Callum Sandilands. Spartans had their top side starting with the exception of Cammy Russell who was on the bench after injury and replaced by Rhys Armstrong. 

The game started with Spartans leaving Blair Henderson up front on his own against a three man defence of Frankie Kent, Craig Halkett and Steven Kingsley. Spartans supporting  attackers Jamie Dishington and Bradley Whyte were employed in front of their fullbacks as additional defenders. This lineup gave Hearts plenty of possession but they seemed not to be moving the ball quickly and this allowed the Spartans defence plenty of time to cover. In addition the wet pitch seemed to allow the ball to travel quickly and the Hearts wide attackers Kenneth Vargas and Oda were left chasing balls which ran out of play. However after twelve minutes Hearts took the lead, Alex Cochrane in central midfield sent a pass out to Jorge Grant on the left. Grant jinked past Dishington and sent an excellent cross towards Vargas at the far post who headed home past Blair Carswell in the Spartans goal. Spartans first attempt at goal came ten minutes later when a free kick found Callum Booth  just outside the Hearts penalty area.the defender had a shot at goal but Gordon leapt to tip the ball over his crossbar. Alan Forrest who I had expected to play right wingback was next to have a go for Hearts but Blair Carswell got down well to save his attempt from outside the penalty area. Alex Cochrane then chipped  a ball forward to set Vargas free in the penalty box. His first effort was blocked by Carswell and the rebound cleared of the line by a defender. The ball fell to Tagawa but his attempt was high, wide and not very handsome and ended up going out for a goal kick. 

The second half started as the second  with Hearts having most of the possession but moving the ball too slowly to trouble the Spartans defence. On the hour mark Hearts made a couple of substitions with Wilson and Dexter Leminska, both making their Hearts debuts, replacing Oda and Tagawa. Three minutes later Spartans equalised in a rare attack. Cochrane conceded a corner which was taken by Booth for Spartans. His cross found Jordan Tapping at the near post but he misheaded the ball back to Booth. The full-back looked to be offside but in the absence of VAR play was allowed to continue. Booth mishit his second attempt to cross into the box and his cross flew towards James Craigen on the edge of the penalty area. He took the ball on the volley and hit it into the top corner of the net giving Gordon in the Hearts goal no time to move never mingle to save the shot. Hearts continued to press forward with Alan Forrest and Lembikisa looking particularly impressive going forward on the wings although there seemed to be a lack of a striking presence in the penalty area in the absence of Shankland. Wilson did have a chance when a Grant pass left him in the penalty box but he was wide on the right and his went over the bar. Spartans keeper Carswell was doing well in goal dealing confidently with shots from outside the box. With minutes to go Spartans brought on Alan ‘Hovie’ Brown as a substitute against his boyhood favourites. This was his 300th appearance for Spartans in his ten year spell and as a Hovie fan it was great to see him reach this milestone. The signal came up for three minutes of added time and Hearts forced a corner from a Carswell save. Cochrane floated the ball into the penalty area and Frankie Kent headed home his first Hearts goal from around eight yards to clinch their place in the next round.

On the final whistle I walked through the mud and headed up to Crewe Toll. I caught a 38 bus then switched to a 30 to get home. Ok it was not a great performance but Hearts are through to the next round.

 

 

Spartans: Carswell, Watson. Booth, Waugh, Tapping, Dishington. Henderson, Sonkur, Armstrong, Craigen, Whyte

Subs: A. Brown, Russell, Denholm, S. Brown

 

Hearts: Gordon, Oda, Kent, Kingsley, Halkett, Cochrane, Baningime, Grant, Forrest, Vargas, Tagawa. 

Subs: Denholm, Lembikisa, Wilson