HEARTS HEARTS FURIOUS HEARTS
Jambos evacuate stadium then take leave of senses at stormy Tynecastle
Hearts evacuated Tynecastle then took all leave of their senses as Gorgie was engulfed in match-day madness. Jambos gaffer Craig Levein and his assistant boss Austin MacPhee were sent to the stand by under-fire whistler Bobby Madden in a tinderbox second half. Earlier, Madden had sent off Hearts kid Jamie Brandon for his second booking – and, despite Levein’s claims, the kid was lucky not to see straight red for an elbow on Accies frontman Antonio Rojano. In amongst it all, Hearts midfielder Jamie Walker struck a glorious free-kick when his side were down to 10 men. It was a goal of such stunning quality on a day of such wretched bad tempers it shone like the brightest star. The opener in 49 minutes was cancelled out 20 minutes later when Xavier Tomas rose to connect with a David Templeton corner and give Accies a deserved point –their first in a league match at Tynecastle in 37 years. The main stand at Tynecastle is clearly still a work in progress and a faulty fire alarm caused two evacuations before kick-off. This resulted in a 15-minute delay to the start of the match and it was followed by a power cut near the end. Frustration at delays and interruptions affecting the new £ 12m stand are being echoed by similar irritation son the park. Le vein has been in t he game long enough to know he would do nothing but incur the wrath of Madden by refusing to go to the ref when he ran over to lecture him in his technical area. It’s the oldest man-management tactic in the book. When Levein pointedly declined to walk five yards for a finger wagging in 50 minutes, Madden decided to use his index finger instead to point to the main stand. Levein gave him a sarcastic round of applause as he made his way behind the technical area and he was soon followed by MacPhee. The Jambos assistant’s actions in 58
minutes smacked of a lack of class and immaturity.
He took possession of the ball when it was knocked into the technical area then deliberately refused to hand it over to midfielder Darian MacKinnon.
Childishly, MacPhee put the ball behind his back, turned away then appeared to pull the Accies player towards him as they fell to the ground.
Police and stewards were forced to wade into the melee, along with players, coaches and backroom staff.
The long arm of the law was used to full effect to separate Jambos goalie coach Paul Gallacher from Accies defender Georgios Sarris.
In the end, Madden sent MacPhee to join his boss but rightly ruled MacKinnon was the victim. Martin Canning took no chances with his man already on a caution and subbed him immediately.
Tynecastle was a bearpit as home fans howled their outrage but here’s the rub – and it won’t be a popular opinion among the Jambos.
Madden didn’t get any of his big decisions wrong.
He booked 10 players with six for Hearts players including Brandon.
The 19-year-old was lucky not to see red for a blatant elbow on Rojano in 35 minutes, just five minutes after his first card for a late tackle on Dougie Imrie.
The game had been little to write home about until then although Accies had looked sharper in the final third with former Jambo Templeton lively. But Hearts keeper Jon McLaughlin showed his quality, especially after his side were down to 10 men.
He made the first of several feature saves, blocking a close- range shot by MacKinnon after more good work from Templeton.
The game was high on drama but low on quality although Walker’s stunning strike – curling a free-kick from 20 yards high past Gary Woods – was a delight.
Accies tried to level but McLaughlin turned a shot from MacKinnon brilliantly around the post. Then it kicked off on the touchline.
Hearts almost added to their run of 14 straight wins at home to Accies when Cole Stockton and David Milinkovic went close before McLaughlin again rode to the rescue, touching a Rojano shot over the top after Templeton hit the post.
Tomas nodded the leveller in 69 minutes and might even have grabbed the winner in injury time but for another diving save from McLaughlin.
Sub Kyle Lafferty could also have snatched it but was thwarted by the Accies defence before Madden blew for the 1000th time to end of the game.
Even then, the bad tempers continued and police gave Madden an escort from the pitch as Hearts fans screamed abuse the official didn’t merit.