Heart of Midlothian 2 Stenhousemuir 1
Scottish League Cup – Group A – Wednesday 23rd July 2019 – Tynecastle Park
Summertime and the living is easy. Except if you’re a Hearts supporter.
Glorious sunshine baked the capital city for most of Wednesday and Hearts fans headed to Gorgie ready to sit back in the evening sun and soak up a goals feast against League Two side Stenhousemuir.
After Dundee United’s surprise defeat from East Fife on Tuesday evening, Hearts had the opportunity to return to the top of Group A of the Betfred Scottish League Cup by beating the Ochilview side, but the Maroons naturally did it the hard way – the very hard way.
Stenny made their intentions clear from kick off and camped themselves inside their own half, content to absorb their Premiership opponents attack after attack. Hearts inability to score goals was a concern last season and nothing has changed during the six-week close season.
In the first half Steven MacLean hit the post, John Souttar set up Conor Washington and Jamie Walker but chance after chance went abegging.
Anthony McDonald was providing width, but Hearts play was all-too predictable. After a goalless first half the second period took on the pattern of the first with Jake Mulraney replacing McDonald and Uche Ikpeazu taking over from the ineffective MacLean.
There was an astonishing array of misses from Hearts early in the second half when Ollie Bozanic, Jamie Walker and Conor Washington missed consecutive chances as groans of despair emanated from the home support.
Those groans turned to anger when, with just 13 minutes left, the deadlock was finally broken – and Stenhousemuir took a sensational lead. The visitors broke swiftly on the counterattack and Cook’s cross was stabbed home by McGuigan to the delight of the small band of Stenny fans in the Roseburn Stand.
At this point some of the Hearts supporters turned on manager Craig Levein and, indeed, some fans headed for the exits.
But with eight minutes to go Hearts finally scored when Sean Clare’s corner fell kindly for Craig Halkett and the centre half buried the ball past Stenny keeper Smith. Relief from the home support which amplified five minutes later Halkett grabbed his second goal of the evening – and his third of the season – when he headed home Jake Mulraney’s cross.
It was tough luck on a gallant Stenhousemuir but there’s no doubt Hearts deserved the win which sees them top Group A. The Jambos conclude the group fixtures with a trip to East Fife on Saturday.
Hearts: Zlamal, M. Smith, Souttar, Bozanic, Clare, Washington (Keena, 59′), Walker, MacLean (Ikpeazu, 55′), McDonald (Mulraney, 55′), Halkett, Hickey.
Stenhousemuir: Smith, McIlduff, McKernon (Watters, 83′), Marsh, McGuigan, Hopkirk, Cook, McLaughlin, M. Munro (Halleran, 63′), Scullion (Anderson, 90′), A. Munro.
Referee: Alan Newlands
Attendance: 7,299
Top man: Aaron Hickey
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
