HOPE IN THEIR HEARTS
Battling draw against the Dons with ten men may be turning point for Stendel as fans get behind Gorgie side
AGAINST an Aberdeen side suffering their traditional Tynecastle stumble, ten-man Hearts may not have enjoyed the Great Leap Forward so desperately desired by everyone associated with the Gorgie club.
Results elsewhere meant they actually lost ground on their nearest rivals at the nervy end of the Scottish Premiership table.
Yet this felt like something more than a baby step by Daniel Stendel’s men. A first point in five games at the helm for the new gaffer. A potential turning point? Maybe.
The atmosphere around the place certainly underwent a significant transformation over 90-plus minutes of drama and excitement yesterday.
At the end of a pulsating draw enlivened by a pair of outstanding goals, Ryotaro Meshino’s stunner cancelled out by a Niall McGinn beauty, the Hearts fans actually stood to applaud their team off the park.
It’s been so long since some of these players experienced anything other than abuse while trudging up the tunnel that, to be honest, one or two might have been confused by this unfamiliar scene.
Yet it had been that kind of warm and fuzzy afternoon for the boys in maroon; an occasion of rare harmony between team and support base.
‘One Daniel Stendel,’ rang out around three sides of the ground at one stage.
And Sean Clare, a player whose removal from the field has provoked ironic cheers more than once this season, was genuinely and warmly applauded off the park when he was shown his red card midway through the second half.
He deserved that reception, too. Not for the desperate last-man challenge on Jon Gallagher that prompted referee Alan Muir to reach for the ultimate sanction, of course. But for a performance of grit and rare moments of grace under pressure.
He wasn’t alone in receiving deserved plaudits from the home support, most of whom will have left feeling that there is at least hope — that rarest of qualities round these parts of late — of avoiding the hell of relegation.
Ultimately, a point is still only that. One point at a time when Hearts need to start collecting them by the bushel.
But they’ll head into the winter shutdown feeling that, as long as Stendel (below) gets the handful of signings he wants in January, all may not be lost.
The German coach, who made a number of bold calls with his team selection, not least by benching club captain Christophe Berra in favour of Clevid Dikamona, certainly appeared to have put more of a personal stamp on the side with this performance.
And it produced a response. On the pitch and, just as importantly, from the cheap seats to the executive lounges.
Quite apart from the goals, the chances, the thundering challenges and the galloping runs, something truly remarkable happened late in the first half here yesterday.
With 41 minutes on the clock, and the game still goalless, the club anthem started ringing out around the ground.
‘H-E-A … R-T-S …’ It was a genuinely spontaneous show of support, a response to nothing more than some encouraging play and tireless effort.
It was something Stendel had never heard before. A reminder of what this place can be like.
Hearts, with Andy Irving promoted to the starting XI to run the midfield and Euan Henderson providing some energy on the wing, had earned the mood change in a first half of high energy and decent football.
Yes, the Dons had looked capable of breaking through the maroon lines when they turned their minds to it; their strike pairing of Curtis Main and Bruce Anderson each passed on chances in the opening five minutes.
But, as Derek McInnes admitted afterwards, it was the home side who controlled the centre of the park.
And, in Meshino, they possessed a player in the mood for mischief. A tendency that included a running battle with Lewis Ferguson, for which both players ended up in the book, and a willingness to shoot on sight.
Meshino sent a left-footer just wide with 16 minutes gone following neat build-up play with Henderson. And the Japanese attacker saw an effort cleared off the line by Scott McKenna soon after, Aberdeen very nearly paying the price for Dean Campbell being out-muscled by Uche Ikpeazu on the wing.
Craig Halkett was unable to bundle the ball beyond a sprawling Joe Lewis as half-time approached as Hearts gradually cranked up the pressure.
The opener, four minutes after the break, was an absolute gem. Meshino had the footballing sense to pounce on a loose ball in midfield, the quick feet to put McKenna on his heels and the ability to beat Lewis in the Dons goal from all of 25 yards with a curling right-footed strike.
The excitement of going ahead for the first time very nearly got too much for Stendel, booked for straying out of his technical area while exhorting his players to greater efforts.
He certainly struggled to contain himself when Clare was red-carded — correctly — for hauling down Gallagher with the winger clean through on goal.
And the former Barnsley boss probably felt like punching the dugout when McGinn scored from the free-kick, 30 yards out.
McGinn squandered a chance to shoot from similar range, while Irving sent a left-footer over the bar in the closing moments.
McInnes conceded that his team hadn’t done enough to win, while Stendel was left wondering if victory might — just might — have been claimed with a little more composure.
Yet, on a day when the Dons actually gained ground on Motherwell, the Jambos seemed happier with their lot.
After everything they’ve been through, is it any wonder? HEARTS (4-4-2): Pereira 6; Clare 5, Halkett 6, Dikamona 7, Hickey 7; Henderson 6, Smith 6, Irving 7, Bozanic 6 (Garuccio 84); Ikpeazu 6 (Damour 70), Meshino 8 (Washington 76). Subs not used: Zlamal, Berra, Wighton, MacLean. Booked: Dikamona, Meshino. Sent off: Clare. ABERDEEN (4-3-1-2): Lewis 6; Logan 6, Taylor 5, McKenna 6, Campbell 6; Gallagher 6, Ojo 6 (Hedges 84), Vyner 6 (McGinn 45); Ferguson 6; Main 5 (Wilson 55), Anderson 6. Subs not used: Cerny, Devlin, McLennan, McKenzie. Booked: Taylor, Ferguson, Ojo. Man of the match: Ryotaro Meshino. Referee: Alan Muir. Attendance: 17,788.