COWDENBEATH 0 HEARTS 1 It’s not always going to be pretty football
Jambos hero Halkett says wake-up call is a reminder it won’t be pretty football every week
CRAIG HALKETT insists Hearts were given a wake-up call as they laboured to see off Cowdenbeath, who issued a timely reminder the Jambos aren’t going to have it all their own way this season.
The centre-back powered in a header 12 minutes from time to give Robbie Neilson’s side the Betfred Cup Group A points against League Two opponents, before Jamie Walker had a stoppage-time penalty saved by Ross Sinclair.
Walker and Josh Ginnelly both spurned good chances before the break and the on-loan Preston winger missed a sitter with his head shortly after the interval.
The Jambos also survived an early penalty scare when Cowden skipper Craig Barr hit the deck under a challenge but unlike Ross Clarke’s late push on Jordan Roberts, referee Alan Newlands ignored the claims.
Much of the game was a slog for the Championship title favourites, as the Blue Brazil defended brilliantly and made it a long afternoon for their more fancied opponents.
Halkett now expects more of the same as teams look to frustrate Hearts this season, who can’t just expect to turn up and blow teams away every week – even if they are everyone’s runaway tip for the title. He said: “Teams are going to sit in. “It’s good to have a game like this to give a few boys a wake-up call that it’s not going to be pretty football every week.
“We’re not going to be able to pass it about and score three, four or five goals.
“We’re going to have to work for it and sometimes we’re going to win 1-0 or it’s going to be 1-1 and we’ll have to wait for a last-minute winner.
“It was good we had that reminder early and we can talk about it.”
Aside from that, Halkett admitted there wasn’t much else to take from the game – but was grateful they got there in the end.
He said: “That’s all you can say really. I don’t think we were too happy in the end. We got the win and that’s the most important thing. But in terms of our performance we all know we need to be that bit better.
“The gaffer said to us afterwards that’s what games in the league are going to be like for us this season.
“We’re the team everyone wants to beat. We’re the team everyone expects to win the league.
“Teams are going to sit in and make it hard for us and make us work for the win.
“They know the longer the game goes on the edgier it gets and they have a chance of nicking it.
“But we have to stay concentrated for 90 minutes. We know it’s not going to be a case of simply turning up every week and getting three points.
“It’s a hard league and it’s going to be tough every week.
“Cowdenbeath made it difficult for us but hopefully on our own patch we move the ball a lot quicker and perform all-round a bit better.”
Halkett finished as Hearts’ top scorer with seven goals from centre-back last season and he picked up where he left off, rising to meet Elliott Frear’s corner and finally break Cowden’s resistance.
It’s a good weapon for Neilson to call upon when his strikers aren’t cutting it.
And while Halkett is always happy to contribute, he admits the Jambos will have to be cuter in attack in future.
He said: “It was not for the lack of trying. We got into the final third a good amount of times.
“We need a bit of patience and good decision-making to make the right pass that leads to a goal.
“The gaffer was happy with things at the back. We just need to find that killer pass.
“I scored a few goals last season and I like to help the team anyway I can. I always say that keeping a clean sheet is the most important thing but if I can chip in with goals to help out I’d be delighted.”
To that end, the two competitive outings he’s had alongside new defensive partner Mihai Popescu have been a success.
Already there’s an understanding
developing with the Romanian and Halkett said: “It’s good. It was unfortunate that when he came to the club he had to quarantine for a couple of weeks.
“He’s still finding his feet but everyone has been impressed with him. I like working with him and hopefully we can have a good partnership.”
The pair will have another chance to strengthen that when Raith visit Tynecastle tomorrow night before the Championship curtain-raiser against title rivals Dundee on Friday.
And it’s the clash with James
McPake’s side that has really whet the appetite of Halkett and his team-mates.
He added: “The manager has put a really strong squad together. The cup games are good to get us going but we are all focusing on the league.
“The league is the big job this year. We know what we have to do and we know what we want to do.
“All the boys are buzzing for the league to start. It’s finally coming around. It’s been a long time – and now everyone is raring to go and looking forward to the Dundee game.”