Familiar failings in front of goal haunt Hearts
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson didn’t share the anger of some supporters at his team’s failure to beat Dundee.
It’s a strange day when a side goes top of the league and the final whistle is greeted with boos from their fans.
The situation is all about expectations soaring at Tynecastle because they’ve made such a good start to the season.
Neilson said: “If you look at the bigger picture, we are sitting top of the league after 10 games. Yes, we are disappointed not to have taken maximum points after the way we played and the amount of chances we created, but I can’t fault the players for their effort and the way they tried to win.
“But when you are 1-0 up and you don’t get the next goal, you are always susceptible to losing one.
“We are getting into really good areas, having shots. Some days, it just doesn’t go in.”
The Hearts fans aren’t complaining about their favourites’ commitment to attacking football – they’re looking for better finishing.
That, of course, is the most difficult part of the game and this is a team that is newlypromoted from the Championship,
Neilson’s team were going for goal straight from the kick-off. Moans about the boys in Maroon being one-paced are, for the moment, a distant memory.
They enjoyed 80% of the possession but didn’t find it easy to break down a wall of players in Dundee’s aqua-blue change strip.
Although they’d have preferred to make more progress up the pitch, the visitors have to be given credit for determined defending.
Hearts looked to create openings but were thwarted by last-ditch tackles and bodies blocking the progress.
The main flaw in the theory seemed to be that Leigh Griffiths isn’t the man to chase long balls and hold it up.
His fitness still isn’t good enough to perform that role.
But for as long as there was only no more than one goal in the game – it seemed inevitable Hearts would get at least one – then Dundee always had the possibility of taking a chance.
In the early stages, Barrie Mackay’s movement looked like being the key to unlocking an opposition side determined to minimise the space in front of the goalkeeper.
The former Rangers’ man set up Woodburn with a cut-back early on and his shot was deflected wide by Ashcroft.
Boyce hit the top of the crossbar with a header from the corner.
With Dundee’s penalty area congested like Princes Street at Christmas, it was no surprise the opener came from further out. The ball was sent back to John Souttar just out outside the box and he curled a beauty of a shot into the top right-hard corner of the box.
Hearts needed to capitalise on getting in front and a second goal would surely have sealed the points.
They were left ruing their inability to convert one of several chances that came their way.
Gary Mackay-Steven nearly put his side out of sight but smacked the post with an hour played.
Dundee then brought on a couple of fresh forward players and that improved their performance.
It was still a bit of a shock when Jason Cummings headed home Cammy Kerr’s long throw but the jubilant away fans loved it.
Hearts did their best to try to hit the net for a second time but were unable to force Adam Legzdins into a meaningful save.
How Neilson’s team react against St Johnstone in midweek will be very interesting.