JAMBOS HIT BY SAMM MISSILE
Conor shrugs off super show from County keeper Fox and admits Hearts were burned by misfires
Conor Sammon reckons Hearts only have themselves to blame for allowing Ross County keeper Scott Fox to hog the headlines.
The 29-year-old was part of a misfiring forward line that drew a blank for the second week running after Fox’s heroics.
Robbie Neilson’s side claimed second spot outright thanks to the stalemate with a County side who had Ian McShane sent off seven minutes from time.
However, Sammon is adamant poor finishing is the reason the Premiership contest ended goalless seven days after their 1- 0 defeat to St Johnstone.
He said: “The County keeper has pulled off some really good saves in what were tricky conditions.
“But we are in such good areas we feel the keeper shouldn’t have much of a chance if we’re doing our job right.
“It was a frustrating afternoon to come away without a win. We created so many chances and just didn’t take any of them. It has cost us in the end.
“We can take a positive from the clean sheet but we want to be winning games like that. It’s the second week in a row – you need to strike and take chances when you’re on top. We are creating them, that’s a positive.
“We need to start taking them if we want to be a successful team this year.
“If you can score early on it really gives the team a boost and the opposition a nightmare where it’s them who have to change their game plan.
“Goals win games ultimately so we know we need to start putting them in the back of the net to move up that table.”
Hearts had their very own Captain America leading the side out as Perry Kitchen became the first player from the States to wear the skipper’s armband.
The tempo from the first whistle produced an end- to- end start that should have culminated in a Jambos opener 10 minutes in. Sammon sparked a break at the County defence from inside his own half, driving into the box before finding Tony Watt. The 22-yearold was poised for a second goal of the season with his effort heading for the top corner but Fox somehow tipped it wide.
It was a moment of brilliance from the Staggies keeper after putting up the shutters against Rangers seven days earlier.
With the Tynecastle side starting to assert themselves, Callum Paterson was next to try his luck with a header from 12 yards that found Fox’s gloves.
The hulking figure of Kenny van der Weg then made inroads into the Hearts defence but just as the moment presented itself to either shoot or set someone up he did neither and the chance was lost.
In keeping with a breathless start both sides passed up giltedged chances during an exhilarating 60 seconds.
Andrew Davies hammered a header off the Hearts crossbar before the ball bounced on the line, allowing Sam Nicholson to dash clear on John Souttar’s clearance. Nicholson’s pass then found Watt who unself ishly gave Sammon the honours only for Fox to deny him and Martin Woods to clear.
The Scott Fox show continued to take centre stage as the Scotland squad keeper threw himself to keep out Igor Rossi’s header from Don Cowie’s corner just before the half hour.
Neilson was forced to reshuffle his defence moments later as Souttar limped off to be replaced by Alim Ozturk, the spurned former skipper running on to the Tynecastle pitch to thunderous applause.
How a first half full of chances had remained goalless could only be explained by the excellence of Fox between the sticks. And the 29-year-old was at it again just before the break. Sammon’s solo run carried him into the
box but the keeper had the measure of his low shot, beating it away for a corner. Arnaud Djoum curled an effort inches wide before the half-time whistle although there was little respite as Woods went into the book within seconds of the restart for a crude foul on Paterson to prevent another Hearts’ breakaway.
The Jambos continued to look more likely to get a breakthrough, even if Nicholson’s angled effort sailed over the bar after Watt had run at the defence.
Tony Dingwall joined his Staggies team- mate in the referee’s book for leaning an elbow into Faycal Rherras as temperatures started to rise in the search for a breakthrough.
A succession of thundering challenges saw the flow of the contest develop into a midfield scrap before Hearts captain Kitchen strode forward and fired a 20-yarder inches over the top.
Davies was forced to make way for Jay McEveley with 11 minutes left, the result of a nasty collision with Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton. Afterr al l the attackingg bravery, both sidess looked to have punchedd themselves out.
But not before thehe inevitable red cardrd arrived as Countyty midfielder McShane walked in thehe 83rd minute for a second cautionon after a challenge on Rherras.
It was frantic and at times full-ullblooded but the final whistle camee to Ross County’s rescue.
Neilson admits he’ll take the positivetive of chances created after their lackk of clinical edge denied them three points.nts.
He said: “It was similar to last week against St Johnstone – we didn’tdn’t have that final touch.
“That’s the disappointment. The positive thing was the chances we made.
“We’re dominating large periods of games and giving up very few chances at the other end.
“It bodes well that once it does click we’ll start picking up more points than we are at the moment.”