HEARTS HAND OUT SIX OF THE BEST...
HIGH e n e r G y, uptempo and occasionally unstoppable, Hearts last night set the tone for their Championship title challenge with a thunderous performance.
Their first league victory since a 3-1 derby win at easter road, way back on March 3, definitely sent a message to all would-be rivals.
Anyone who fancies their chances of winning automatic promotion will have to get through robbie neilson’s team.
Oh and how they might also have caused a few to re-evaluate their thinking on a certain Scottish Cup semi-final just a fortnight away. If they bring this much intent to that clash at Hampden, they’ll give Hibs plenty to think about.
Hearts hammered f our past Dundee in a blistering first half, strikes from Michael Smith, Josh Ginnelly, Liam Boyce — from the penalty spot — and Stephen Kingsley sending out a warning to anyone thinking of going toe-totoe with these guys.
even Charlie Adam’s stunning solo effort for the visitors, briefly making it 2-1, barely registered, such was the concussive effect of the home side hammering away at the opposition.
Although sub Danny Mullen bagged a second for Dundee just over 20 minutes f r om ti me, Kingsley scored his second with an absolute screamer i n the closing stages before new boy Andy Halliday set the seal on a 6-2 win.
revenge for the summer shenanigans that saw the Dens Park men play such a controversial role in the season-ending vote that condemned Hearts to relegation? Well, the first instalment, anyway.
What might this have been like, as an occasion, if fans had been allowed in for the reconstruction rumble or the Ballot-Box Brouhaha? There would have been banners. Protests. Speciallycommissioned terracing chants.
Hearts have been title favourites almost from the moment when a lost-and-found vote, cast eventually by Dundee, condemned them to relegation from the Premiership.
And they began here like a team with something to prove, opening the scoring after just three minutes and 30 seconds.
Veteran right-back Smith popped up in the penalty box to capitalise on their quick passing and movement, the old greybeard cutting inside before scoring with a low, left-footed finish.
It spoke to the sense of adventure already evident in maroon ranks. They’re not going to die wondering, at any rate.
They’d set the tone. And now they set about taking advantage of their opponents’ stunned state.
Adam was getting picked on, the former Scotland international looking off the pace in a midfield boasting a couple of very quick
players. a loose header from the ex-liverpool and Rangers man straight into the path of Walker very nearly led to disaster.
and, from the corner conceded as Dundee scrambled to cover for the error, Hearts got their second.
When the first delivery into the box was cleared just beyond the ‘D’, Ginnelly drilled a low, rightfooted shot beyond Jack Hamilton with pace and precision.
That 25th-minute goal seemed to spark something in the visitors. it certainly annoyed adam.
Two minutes later, he responded with a piece of individual brilliance to drag his team back into it.
Driving, dribbling, feinting and floating his way through the Hearts ranks, leaving would-be tacklers baffled, he crashed the ball beyond former scotland team-mate Craig Gordon to make it 2-1.
There was more to come even before half-time, as Hearts quickly restored their two-goal lead.
Boyce thought he’d scored when he struck a sweet shot towards goal, only for Jordan marshall to slide in with a brave block.
Referee David munro penalised the defender for handball — and Boyce fired home from the spot.
Hearts then made it 4-1 just moments before t he break, courtesy of a Kingsley free-kick of glorious quality, the left- back curling his shot over the wall and into the top corner.
This was breathless stuff, all right. The kind of high-tempo performance that probably left even Hearts fans watching at home grateful for the half-time interval; they needed time to savour what they’d just seen.
Dundee used the break to reorganise into a 4-4-2 diamond and, to be fair, it gave them more options going forward.
adam came close with a free-kick five minutes into the second half, the veteran just inches away from capitalising on ex-Hearts striker osman sow hassling the Hearts defence into fouling him.
Half-time sub Jonathan afolabi brought an added threat with the ball at feet, too, while mullen — who came on for sow with just 51 minutes gone — looked sharp.
Both Hearts wide men, Ginnelly and Jordan Roberts, were finding space. and Jamie Walker was a constant menace in behind Boyce, whose physicality constantly unsettled Dundee.
Gordon still had to make a reflex save from a deflected mullen shot,
Dundee suddenly finding more chances to take aim at goal.
With 68 minutes gone, mullen applied a deft finish after afolabi’s initial effort had deflected to him.
Walker forced Hamilton into a spectacular save with a flashing header almost immediately, Hearts instantly hitting back.
it took until six minutes from time to restore their three-goal cushion, Kingsley taking a lay-off outside the box and beating Hamilton with another sweetlystruck effort.
Halliday then hit a belter of his own with almost the f ull 90 minutes e l apsed, t he f i nal scoreline of 6-2 not even remotely flattering Hearts. HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Gordon; Smith, Halkett, Popescu, Kingsley; Lee, Irving (Haring 71); Ginnelly (Halliday 74), Walker, Roberts; Boyce (Wighton 77). Subs not used: White, Stewart, Naismith, Frear. Booked: Irving, Walker. DUNDEE (3-5-2): Hamilton; McGhee, Ashcroft, Forster (Afolabi, 45); Kerr; Dorrans, McGowan, Adam, Marshall; Robertson (Anderson 79), Sow (Mullen 52). Subs not used: Byrne, McDaid, Ferrie, Elliot. Booked: Dorrans, Sow, Marshall. Man of the match: Stephen Kingsley. Referee: David Munro.