Cathro demands fans’ tough love
IAN CATHRO has asked disgruntled Hearts fans to keep giving his players pelters.
The Jambos crashed to another defeat, blowing the chance to cut the gap to third- placed Rangers to two points.
It was a wretched display from the Tynecastle side who were outplayed and outfought by Partick Thistle.
Kris Doolan and Liam Lindsay got the Jags’ goals – and there was more misery for the Jambos when Esmael Goncalves was red carded in the 59th minute.
Former Newcastle United coach Cathro fully accepts patience is wearing thin among fans.
He wants supporters to keep giving the players stick – as it might provoke a response on the pitch.
Cathro said: “We need to win back the trust of the fans.
“I don’t want our fans to be patient with us. I want them to make it difficult for us and make it a challenge.
“I want them to put pressure on us and the players need to be ready to step up and deal with it.
“We now need to go and win against Ross County in midweek.”
The defeat came on the back of a midweek loss to capital rivals Hibs in the Scottish Cup.
And Jambos defender Anastasios Avlonitis maintained the players were “hurting” after a tough week. “We need to fight and we need to win,” he stressed. It was a much happier day for Alan Archibald’s men, who are now eight points clear of bottom side Hamilton Accies and just a point off sixth-placed Dundee.
It only took them four minutes to take the lead.
Unchallenged, Doolan turned on the edge of the six- yard box and placed a left- foot shot past Jack Hamilton. The forward came close to hat-trick in the first period – but he had a strike disallowed and Hamilton denied him twice.
Thistle dominated the first 45 minutes and Hearts were fortunate only to be one goal down.
Their performance was simply not acceptable. There was no rhythm and no leadership on the park.
In the Thistle goal, Tomas Cerny didn’t have a single save to make.
Cathro’s team talk at half- time
demanded a greater level of commitment and energy.
He got that in a negative way when Goncalves was sent off for his second yellow card after he tripped Christie Elliott.
Cathro was disappointed with his striker and disciplinary action will be take privately.
The most memorable moment of the game came in the 73rd minute when the Maryhill men went two up.
After a lovely piece of close control, Lindsay rattled in a powerful shot from 14 yards.
Lindsay – who is being monitored by Leeds United – said: “I hit the best shot I’ll ever hit in my career.
“That’s my seventh goal of the season. The manager has challenged me to hit double figures.”
Following Thistle’s third win on the trot, Archibald said: “We wanted to unsettle them and not let them get into a flow.
“The first 20 minutes were vital for us and the players kept to the plan. Hearts also tired and that can be the case when you play a midweek game.
“The players were great and we deserved the victory.”