Jordi Altena raced across the pitch, arms raised, in celebration after Craig Halkett headed his curving cross into the back of the Livingston net. It was the icing on the cake for the newcomer who only had two training sessions with his team-mates before making his debut.
Yes, it was a moment to savour and the 22-year-old undoubtedly hit the ground running, playing 74 minutes and contributing to a massive three points for the Jambos.
The fans around me stood to applaud the Dutch-born defender off the pitch and his delivery for the goal was as efficient as his command of the English language.
Altena’s performance was just one of the positives noted by Derek McInnes in his post-match briefing. He spotlighted the touch of the debutant and the boss feels that Altena is a “very good” technical player who will feel the benefit of the outing.
McInnes added: “This game was exactly what this league is, at times. On paper, top v bottom, such a dominant first-half performance, but there is a consequence every time you miss a chance, there is a consequence of being careless and not getting that second goal.”
Pre-game he stressed to the Men in Maroon that Livingston players have a “brilliant character and brilliant determination” and they were a different team second-half after manager, David Martindale’s. half-time team talk.
He also stressed that Hearts could not be sloppy and give The Lions any encouragement.
McInnes then provided an assessment of Hearts’ performance. At their best, the Jambos, he said, looked like a team who should be at the top of the league, great to watch. On the flip side, the gap between the first 45 minutes and the second was, in his words, “too big”.
His men, he argued, need to ensure that the gap narrows. When players can’t be free-flowing and flamboyant they need to be more careful and all aspects of the game will be put under the microscope at training in midweek.
Sometimes it is not about more effort, it is about using voice rather than your legs and he argued that his men were “running about” when calmness was required.
The former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock boss was pleased with the clean sheet and revealed that his substitutions were made in a bid to secure that objective and the win.
He added: “It was still a good days work.”
Hearts were guilty, he said, of not hitting the target enough. They were guilty of missed chances but McInnes credit Jerome Prior, Livingston’s goalkeeper, who he said was magnificent.
The Tynecastle bosses enjoyment came from winning and the three points. There was no enjoyment, he said, in the second half performance.
Moving six points clear at the top of the William Hill Premiership was another major plus but he was quick to credit Livingston for their second-half performance in which Beni Baningime and Cammy Devlin, two major figures in the Jambos midfield in the opening phase, did not have the same influence.
McInnes looked back at that second sector and said: “We never picked the right pass. We were guilty of miss-placed passes, particularly in transition, where we should be doing better, and this was a wee reminder to us that we need to stay on the job all the time, and a reminder that every game in this league is fraught with danger.”
Halkett’s header, said the head coach, was unbelievable. It was an “old fashioned, proper header. It was a magnificent goal” and McInnes said that there is not a team which has a good league campaign in which they don’t grind out 1-0 wins. Sometimes they are the best ones.
He added: “In the cold light of day, for us to have so many shots, touches in the opposition box, three points, three very important points, clean sheet, going six points clear, and we have got to be pleased with a lot of what was on show.”
HEAD BOY: Craig Halkett in training. Picture Nigel Duncan
