WALKER THRILLED WITH HIS HALF CENTURY BUT HEARTS LOOK TO BE LIMPING TO TITLE

JAMIE WALKER had long dreamed of the feat. A half century of goals for his boyhood club, a momentous landmark after making the journey from the Tynecastle terraces to the turf. However, he didn’t imagine the moment would come as a late leveller as Robbie Neilson’s men continue their slow march towards the title. ‘I probably wasn’t expecting my 50th goal to be a header, especially in a draw against Morton,’ said Walker ruefully. Indeed his man-of-the-match award was an indictment on his team-mates given he only played the final 29 minutes. But he still allowed himself to reflect on his achievement after powering home a header following Armand Gnanduillet’s pin-point cross.

After all, becoming the first player since Colin Cameron to notch 50 goals for Hearts, and just the 37th in their 147-year history, is no mean feat. ‘It feels like my 50th has been a long time coming and it is a proud moment for me and my family,’ said Walker. ‘To do that for the club I grew up supporting is something special.’ Craig McGuffie had given Morton a second-half lead, capitalising on an almost comical cavalcade of wasted opportunities by the hosts. Mihai Popescu, Stephen Kingsley, Andy Halliday, Aaron McEneff, Steven Naismith and Liam Boyce all had passable chances to ripple the net. They registered 26 shots, which boss Neilson said ‘told a story’. As does the fact only six of those were on target. What should be a stylish procession to the chequered flag is turning into a turgid trudge. But that will not matter to Morton, who are just a point clear of the relegation play-off place but are clearly making a fight of it. Goalscorer McGuffie said: ‘There are a few boys in the dressing room disappointed that we didn’t hold on for the win. It says it all when you are coming to a venue like Tynecastle and thinking like that.’