FIRST GAME & LAST LAFF
Cathro relief as Kyle strikes on Jambos debut
KYLE LAFFERTY wasted no time in endearing himself to the Hearts faithful.
The Northern Ireland star, making his debut after the summer move from Norwich, struck on the hour in an otherwise frustrating night for Ian Cathro’s top-flight team.
A relieved Cathro said: “We had a number of chances throughout the game and Kyle had a number himself in the first half.
“But I was pleased he and the rest of the team stayed calm, stayed focused, kept doing the correct things – and he scored.
“We never thought it was going to be an easy game. We knew it was going to be a difficult task.
“It’s our first competitive game. The only important thing was we put in a strong enough performance to be in control of the game and that we travel back to Edinburgh with a win.”
Cathro handed Scotland defender Christophe Berra a Hearts debut second time around after his return from Ipswich.
Manchester City loan defender Ashley Smith-Brown and summer signings Michael Smith and Lafferty also took a first starting bow in front of a big travelling support from the capital.
Smith-Brown though limped off injured after only 27 minutes.
And the Hearts boss said: “I don’t anticipate that it is too bad. We’ll need to check and see how he is in the next couple of days but we have options as well.”
Elgin, who crashed to a 6-0 defeat at Dunfermline in their opening game in the group, brought in striker Jordan Allan whose last club was Coleraine in Northern Ireland.
Berra almost made a dream return with a third-minute header from Don Cowie’s free-kick but Elgin keeper Marc Waters saved well and the Hearts defender was penalised for a foul in any case.
Jamie Walker had the ball in the net for Hearts on 15 minutes following a mix up between Waters and defender Darryl McHardy but the off-side flag cut short his celebrations.
New boy Smith-Brown was then replaced by Polish signing Rafal Grzelak. Lafferty had a chance on the half hour but his effort fluffed sideways and fell kindly for Esmail Goncalves, who curled wide from 15 yards.
Elgin enjoyed a brief spell of pressure during which Brian Cameron teed up new boy Allan for a strike at goal but he tamely guided straight at Jack Hamilton.
Three minutes before the break, Lafferty rose to meet a Berra ball from deep and head it into the path of Cowie, who blazed over from 10 yards.
After the break lively running from Goncalves began to stretch the home side. He made a telling burst on 52 minutes but his parting strike from the edge of the box was too close to Waters, who made a routine save.
Then Lafferty came up with the goods. Elgin’s Matthew Cooper fouled Goncalves on the left side of the box for a free-kick near the touchline. It was played to Grzelak who hoisted in a cross for Lafferty to rise unmarked and plant a firm header out of Waters’ reach.