Hearts clean up in second-half surge
Little football on show but Levein’s side continue their unbeaten run with another clean sheet
Two goals in six second-half minutes helped give Hearts the three points and maintained their impressive run of results. But, although they added another late on to end the match comfortably on top, it was a victory that had to be ground out.
The Gorgie side went into this one on the back of ten games without defeat and with an impressive defensive record of seven games without conceding a goal. But the last team to deny them a clean sheet were Hamilton.
That was back at the beginning of December and it was a match mired in acrimony as Hearts’ Jamie Brandon was sent off and boss Craig Levein and his No 2 Austin Macphee were sent to the stands. But even having seen out most of that match with ten men, the Gorgie side had been the better team and will have gone into this one believing that with a full complement and bolstered by Steven Naismith in attack, they could ensure a better outcome this time.
Just before kick-off, Hamilton made official what had already been made clear by the absence of the influential Greg Docherty from the teamsheet, revealing that a fee had been agreed between the clubs and the midfielder is on his way to Rangers. With Preston North End also matching Hamilton’s financial demands, Michael Devlin could be the next man heading out of the door. It leaves Accies boss Martin Canning juggling his pack and trying to find a new formula to keep them in the top flight.
Greek striker Marios Ogkmpoe had been brought in and he was given a starting berth, but while Hamilton did manage to manufacture the odd effort at goal, it was David Templeton who looked the most likely.
Hearts had started without Isma Goncalves, who is en route to Uzbekistan,and as Levein packed his side with young contenders, it seems increasingly likely that fellow forward Cole Stockton could be the next to seek a fresh challenge.
If the last contest between these two sides was compelling in its competitiveness, this one was just ugly and that was down to the football on show or, to be more accurate, the absence of it. Neither team could get a hold of the match and piece together many sequences of merit. Lacking any kind of rhythm, the ball pinballed between the sides. It made for little quality.
Templeton tested the Hearts rearguard early on, bursting through after John Souttar had misjudged a bounce. But Demetri Mitchell was quick to get across to cover and give keeper Jon Mclaughlin time to get out and gather. The ball was battered from one end of the pitch to the other as both teams struggled. Hearts had made changes to the midfield that had commanded the middle of the park in the capital derby victory. But it took the introduction of Arnaud Djoum at the start of the second half and David Milinkovic just after the hour to give them the edge.
Andrew Irving had tried for the opener but it was swallowed up by a sea of bodies. Following a short corner, Mitchell swung a ball into the area but while Lewis Moore challenged, it was too close to Gary Woods.
The best of the changes at that stage were Hamilton’s though.templetonsawanother effort skite just wide of Mclaughlin’s post, then Danny Redmond sent in a corner that the former Hearts winger volleyed goalwards but Mclaughlin got down.
There was a block by Darren Lyon at the other end when Mitchell pulled the trigger.
But the sides remained in deadlock, unable to find a bit of quality in the final third to make the difference.
In such a situation the first goal was always going to have a massive say in who would win this tussle and Hamilton will be kicking themselves as they contributed to their own downfall.
In the 67th minute, Naismith was gifted an advantage by Alex Gogic, who allowed him to nick possession near the byeline and as the defender lay on the turf, the ball was played across goal for Ross Callachan, pictured, to virtually pass into a gaping net.
Six minutes later the ball was played over the top by Irving for substitute Milinkovic to race on to and while the home fans screamed for offside, the Serbian charged forward and, one on one with the keeper, he coolly slotted home Hearts’ second goal.
With three minutes remaining they made it three when Milinkovic kept the ball alive and dinked it over Naismith to David Zanatta at the back post and the lad who has only just returned from a loan spell with Raith Rovers shot home.
HAMILTON: Woods, Gogic, Tomas, Mcmann, Lyon, Ferguson, Mackinnon, Redmond (Rojano 72), Imrie, Templeton, Ogboe. Subs not used: Kozoronis, Fulton, Want, Cunningham, Tierney, Hughes. HEARTS: Mclaughlin, Randall, Berra, Souttar, Mitchell, Cowie (Zanatta 84),I rving, Cochrane (Djoum 46), Callachan, Naismith, Moore (Milinkovic 62). Subs not used: Michael Smith, Hughes, Hamilton, Mcdonald.