WE MUST TAKE IT TO THE MAX
Robbie demands perfect end to title bid
Hearts Hearts......................... ......................... 2 Ayr United .................. 0
Robbie Neilson watched his Hearts surge 15 points clear at the top but insisted they must win all seven of their remaining fixtures to keep their fans happy.
Second-half goals from Armand Gnanduillet and sub Jamie Walker were enough to see off an Ayr side that frustrated them for more than an hour in boss David Hopkin’s first match in charge.
Neilson was satisf ied with the patience his team showed to eventually claim all three points.
He said: “It was a difficult first half. We struggled to break them down. They sat in with 11 players 30 yards from goal.
“We’ve seen these games before where you have loads of possession and they sit deep, nullify the game, kill the game, hit it long and hope for a mistake.
“If you get an early goal you can win convincingly but otherwise it can be a bit of a slog.
“Second half was better because the game was a bit more open and we managed to get the goals.
“It’s about winning every week so we will just focus on Saturday to Saturday. But there are still seven games to go and when you’re at Hearts you need to get 21 points.
“Hopefully we’ll get over the line sooner rather than later.”
Ayr went into Hopkin’s first game unbeaten in their last two matches but still dangerously close to the relegation play- off.
Neilson named the same Jambos side that beat Dundee last time out, with Craig Gordon continuing as captain in his 200th competitive appearance for the club.
Hearts might have had the majority of the early possession but the first decent strike on goal came from the visitors, left-back Patrick Reading striding forward to smash a low 20-yarder just wide of Gordon’s left-hand post.
The home side, with Andy Irving at the base of a midfield diamond and Gary Mackay- Steven at the tip, weren’t moving the ball quickly enough to concern Ayr.
But they got it right in the 23rd minute when a flowing move found Aaron McEneff out wide and his low cross should have been buried by Andy Halliday from 12 yards. Keeper Viljami Sinisalo got down to block.
Sinisalo did well again minutes later, keeping out a Gnanduillet drive after the Frenchman beat the offside trap to get on the end of an Irving pass.
As the interval approached, Ayr midfielder Luke McCowan had a shot deflected just wide.
Hearts started the second period with more intensity about their work but without overly troubling Ayr’s back line that was superbly marshalled by Jack Baird and Ipswich loanee Corrie Ndaba.
And when the league leaders did get in behind, Sinisalo was there to deny them as the keeper did with a superb save from Gnanduillet in the 64th minute.
Neilson threw on Jamie Walker for Gary Mackay- Steven shortly afterwards and the attacker should
have scorescored with his first touch, latchinglatchingonon to a loose ball 12 yards out but lashing wildly over. Hearts made the breakthrough in the 72nd minute.
Michael Moffat was booked for pul l ing back Irving and the midfielder got up to swing in a superb free-kick that was matched by Gnanduillet’s bullet header that scorched high past the keeper.
With five minutes to go, the killer second was provided by Walker, who smashed high past Sinisalo after the ball broke off sub Gervane Kastaneer as he tried to get on the end of Michael Smith’s cross.
That condemned Hopkin’s side to defeat but the Ayr gaffer insisted he’d seen enough from to be convinced that they can climb the Championship.
He said: “We knew it would be tough but we tried to set up to be difficult to play against.
“For 75 minutes we were doing fine then a bit of quality from a free-kick and we were 1- 0 down. We tried to change the shape to get back into it and should have dealt with the header better.
“But credit to the players because it’s been a tough week. It’s a tough run in front of us but I’m delighted with their attributes.
“Once I’ve had a week of training with the players we’ll be fine. “If we’d seen that free- kick out, we’d have left with a point. We were excellent, even the flair players were prepared to work hard.
“If I see that commitment, desire and enthusiasm, we won’t be far away.”