New King of Hearts helps hammer Dundee in Championship opener
HEARTS manager Robbie Neilson wanted his team to lay down a marker, and he got it.
The Gorgie outfit swatted aside a team listed by the bookmakers as their closest rivals for the title in a convincing 6- 2 victory in their opening Championship match.
Four of the home side’s goals came in the first half alone, their dominance highlighting the gulf in quality while leaving Dundee manager James McPake wondering how he could remedy his team’s defensive defects.
Stephen Kingsley, who scored twice, Michael Smith, Josh Ginnelly and Liam Boyce and Andy Halliday were on target for Hearts.
Charlie Adam and Danny Mullen found the target for the visitors.
There had been plenty of bold claims and declarations prior to kick- off. For one, Neilson ( inset) said that the current squad he has assembled was even better than the class of 2015.
Quite a statement since that team romped to the Championship title in record breaking time with a 91- point tally. It was also a division that then included Rangers and Hibernian.
Dundee’s Adam also professed that he was out to prove that he is the best player in the second tier, having joined his boyhood heroes from Reading during the summer.
At the age of 34, there is no doubt the former Liverpool and Stoke City’s player’s prime years are behind him, but his left foot remains as potent – as illustrated by his goal.
Neilson named a young team for Tuesday’s 3- 1 Betfred Cup victory over Raith Rovers in preparation for this match, so it was no surprise that he made some ten changes.
The notable and surprising omission from the side was Scotland international and club captain Steven Naismith, who was listed among the substitutes. That decision was fully vindicated after 45 minutes.
This is a Hearts team built on energy and a ferocious attacking purpose.
It was all about the hosts in the early stages, the opening goal coming from Smith, who played for an hour in Northern Ireland’s 1- 0 loss to Norway just 48 hours earlier, inside two minutes. Olly Lee slipped the ball through to the right back and Smith easily outfoxed Jordan Forster in an angle inside the box before passing a low left- footed shot beyond Jack Hamilton.
Dundee were rattled. They had enough experience in the middle of the park between Adam and Graham Dorrans to calm things down but Hearts’ incessant harrying meant there was no respite.
They were barely an attacking entity until Adam turned well and unleashed a powerful drive from 25 yards that Craig Gordon palmed behind.
The second goal arrived in the 25th minute from a corner that was conceded as a result of a slack Adam header that sent Walker scampering down on goal.
The Hearts midfielder’s corner was cleared outside the box but Ginnelly returned the ball with interest, his low drive through a ruck of bodies from 25 yards fizzing low into Hamilton’s right corner.
At this point, all the indications were that Hearts would run out convincing winners.
Adam, however, rediscovered his equilibrium in a moment of brilliance. The Scotland cap shrugged off feeble approaches from Andy Irving and Lee before drilling a left- footed drive high into the net from 16 yards.
The first half scoring was far from over. Boyce netted a third from the penalty spot in the 34th minute after his initial effort struck the hand of the unfortunate Jordan Marshall as the defender attempted to block the shot.
Then came Kingsley’s sublime free- kick in first half injury time. Lee was upended just outside the area and the leftback directed a superb shot into the top corner.
Dundee manager James McPake reverted to a 4- 4- 2 as Forster made way for Jonathan Afolabi at the break.
The visitors did look more settled, although part of the reason was probably complacent seeping into the home side.
Adam struck a free- kick just wide before Afolabi brought out a save in Gordon.
On loan Celtic striker Afolabai was involved as Dundee pulled one back.
His deflected shot fell kindly at the feet of substitute Mullen and he deftly dinked the ball over Gordon from close range.
But Hearts finished strongly. Kingsley fired a first time drive into the net from 20 yards in the 84th minute before substitute Halliday also directed an unstoppable effort beyond Hamilton in injury time.