Howalarming! Heartsand Acciesinding-dongbattle
heArts 1
Walker (47)
hAmiLtoN ACCies 1
Tomas (69)
There was a false alarm before kick-off at Tynecastle.
But the blazing battle served up by Hearts and Hamilton Accies could easily have triggered the real thing.
A malfunctioning fire alarm saw Hearts’ home evacuated at 2pm.
But the contest that followed burned hot enough to see the home team dugout cleared in similar fashion, with Craig Levein and Austin MacPhee both sent to the stand by whistler Bobby Madden, the latter in truly bizarre fashion.
Quite frankly, the entire spectacle was completely bonkers.
Yet goals from Jamie Walker and Xavier Tomas saw what had been a square-go of a game end all square – and spark a war of words between both managers.
That’s familiar territory for Craig Levein, whose build-up to Accies’ visit consisted of monstering former Jambos star and current BBC pundit Michael Stewart over his frequent criticism of the Jam Tarts.
Levein made two changes to the side that drew a blank against Ross County to trigger Stewart’s most recent attack.
John Souttar and Prince Buaben were the new faces, in for Aaron Hughes and the injured Harry Cochrane.
Having fired back at his critic-in-chief, Hearts’ gaffer needed a performance to underline his point.
But against an Accies side unbeaten in five, it was always going to be a tough shift.
The Lanarkshire men arrived winless at Tynecastle in 40 years – and they almost gave themselves a mountain to climb just four minutes in.
A slack throw-in return from Dougie Imrie was gobbled up by the Jambos’ David Milinkovic, who sped down the right flank before placing across the edge of the six-yard box.
Unfortunately for the home side, with the goal gaping, nobody was waiting, and Accies’ Scott McCann cleared the danger.
It was scrappy stuff from both sides, but Hearts had more intent, and carved out another chance on 20 minutes when Buaben slipped Cole Stockton in on goal, only for Accies keeper Gary Woods to dart off his line and smother the ball.
Martin Canning’s side struggled for possession, but with twin terrors Dougie Imrie and Darian MacKinnon in midfield, they did their best to disrupt Hearts’ rhythm.
The home side’s frustration told when Christophe Berra tripped former Jambo David Templeton to end a dangerous break on the edge of the box.
Had Imrie found the net instead of the Gorgie Stand with the resultant free-kick, the simmering tension may have increased to a rolling boil sooner than it did.
But it was always going to get there, and Jamie Brandon provided the decisive spark, catching Accies striker Rojano in the face with a flailing arm 10 minutes before the break.
The Argentine’s histrionic reaction – a scream, a paralytic plummet – did its part too, but replays showed Brandon’s offence was worthy of the red card he saw in response.
One minute into the second half, the Tynecastle furnace was further stoked when Walker curled a superb free-kick into Woods’ top right corner after substitute Lewis Moore was fouled on the edge of the box.
Hearts’ home was becoming a bear pit and, perhaps sensing it, Levein and assistant Austin MacPhee both found themselves in the stand in quick succession, the former for defying Madden’s instruction to approach him for a chat on the touchline, the latter for a bizarre tangle with Accies star MacKinnon that saw them wrestling on the deck in the Jam Tarts technical area.
The melee that followed involved staff and players from both sides – and a police officer, who got between Hearts’ goalkeeping coach Paul Gallacher and Accies’ Georgios Sarris – but Accies escaped punishment. Gorgie seethed – then Hamilton rallied. Xavier Tomas headed home the equaliser from a corner with 69 minutes on the clock.
Then the Frenchman almost nodded in a winner at the death, but his effort was cleared off the line by Souttar.
After 10 yellow cards, one red and two sent to the stands, Accies claimed their first point at Tynecastle since 1979/80, ending a 14-match losing streak.
Say what you like about Scottish football. As mad as it can be, sometimes it really is the best thing in the world.