Hearts manage to hold
HAMILTON ACCIES 1 Bingham (33) HEARTS 2 Callachan (3), Lafferty (pen. 23)
HEARTS boss Craig Levein got the first win of his second spell as manager with this narrow victory at the SuperSeal Stadium.
The former Scotland manager built on last weekend’s draw against Aberdeen by grinding out a win which was in doubt right until the final whistle.
“That was a typical away match in the Premiership for us so we had to be gritty, determined, focused – all the things that make good defenders,” he claimed.
“It was good to see them digging in when that was needed. I was disappointed last week with the points total but this time I’m thrilled.”
He also singled out midfielder Jamie Walker for specials praise.
“Jamie was brilliant,” he beamed. “I told him after the game that his performance was fantastic. He set up Ross’s goal with a great bit of skill in midfield and then getting the ball out wide.
“He led the pressing excellently which is not something Jamie is normally associated with. He worked his socks off.”
There were only three minutes gone when Walker bamboozled Darian MacKinnon and released Michael Smith. His driven cross was forced home from point-blank range by Ross Callachan, who notched his first goal since joining from Raith Rovers last month.
Hamilton, to their credit, responded positively to falling behind but Greg Docherty, with a wayward shot from 20 yards and Rakish Bingham, woefully failing to control Ali Crawford’s through ball when he had only Jon McLoughlin to beat, squandered their best chances to equalise.
They also had a let-off when Callachan opted to go for goal from an unpromising angle rather than roll the ball into the path of the unmarked Smith, who had been screaming for the pass.
However, Hearts looked the sharper side and it was no surprise when they moved further ahead from the penalty spot.
There wasn’t a great deal of contact when Esmael Goncalves, who was clearly looking for it, went down as he brushed past Ionnas Skondras. Referee Bobby Madden immediately pointed to the spot and Kyle Lafferty lashed home his sixth goal of the season.
A two-goal lead is no guarantee of success, however, and Accies took advantage of some sloppy defending to reduce the deficit before the break.
Rafal Grzelak was caught napping when former Jambos winger David Templeton nicked the ball off his foot and made a bee-line for the by-line.
Once there, he smashed the ball across the face of the goal and Bingham made up for his earlier error by forcing it home at the far post.
However, although Accies threw everything but the kitchen sink at them, Hearts clung to all three points.
“I’m bitterly disappointed that we’ve given a team I thought we were better than a two-goal start,” said home manager Martin Canning, who also believed that Mr Madden got the penalty decision wrong.
“We didn’t create a lot in terms of clear-cut chances in the second half but it’s difficult when they have eight men behind the ball.”