Hearts strengthen their credentials to be named best of the rest again
THE battle to finish as the best of the rest in the cinch Premiership still has quite some way to go until it is decided. But Hearts are, even at this stage, looking good.
A Josh Ginnelly double coupled with Michael Smith and Lawrence Shankland goals put Robbie Neilson’s side no fewer than four in front of Aberdeen at half- time at Tynecastle last night. Cammy Devlin piled on the misery for the visitors in the second- half when he netted a deflected strike.
The capital club are now undefeated in eight outings and seven points ahead of their nearest rivals Livingston. With no European football in the coming weeks – something which impacted on their domestic form in the opening months of the season – Hearts will not be beaten into third place easily.
Aberdeen, who had the chance to leapfrog Livingston into fourth last night, will be doing well to finish in the top six if they continue to perform so poorly in the weeks ahead.
Here are three talking points from the encounter in Gorgie.
DONS DEFENDING 5 0
Ant Stewart might have cost Aberdeen victory against Rangers at the weekend by getting himself red carded in injury time for a rash challenge on Borna Barisic. But, boy, did the Pittodrie club miss their captain last night. They were woeful at the back without the centre half.
Jim Goodwin’s men actually enjoyed the majority of possession and applied, without testing goalkeeper Zander Clark greatly, a fair amount of pressure to the opposition goal early on. At the back, though, they were diabolical. Goodwin must make strengthening that area a priority before the January transfer window closes.
Aberdeen have now one just once since club football restarted after the
World Cup break last month. It was easy to see why last night.
“There’s not a great deal I can say really,” said Goodwin. “It is an extremely humiliating result for us all, for everyone connected with the club. Yeah, to conceded five goals in any game is unacceptable. That result there tonight pretty much sums up our away record.”
VAR BETTER
There was another spate of VAR controversies in Scottish football at the weekend with fans, players and managers once again left incensed at the decisions which were given or not given. But referee Willie Collum was able to determine that Liam Scales had handled a Robert Snodgrass corner last night after checking the pitchside monitor.
Hearts striker and skipper Shankland made no mistake from 12 yards to take his tally for the 2022/ 23 campaign to 19 in all competitions.
Collum also ruled out an injurytime Marley Watkins goal for offside with a little help from his Clydesdale House colleagues. Those incidents were much- needed examples of the new technology doing what it is meant to.
CLARK FOR SCOTLAND?
The double leg break that Craig Gordon suffered against Dundee United at Tannadice on Christmas Eve means that Steve Clarke will have to find a new goalkeeper for Scotland’s opening Euro 2024 qualifiers in March.
Will Gordon’s replacement at Hearts take his place in the national team too? The former St Johnstone man will certainly be hoping to do well enough between now and the Cyprus game to force his way into contention. And although he did not have a great deal to do last night, a third clean sheet in four games will do his cause no harm at all.
“We are delighted with the result,” said Neilson. “We started well and got the goals at good times. It’s three points, that’s all that matters and it’s all about the derby now. They got a quick pat on the back and it’s on to Sunday now.”