Jonnyboy
26-12-2019, 04:00 PM
I’ve been feeling a bit rough these last few days, suffering with a head cold, sore throat and cough but by the end of today’s proceedings at Tynecastle I felt brand new. Could it be another first for Hibs as they’ve found a cure to the common cold?
Enough of me whining on though as there’s a cracker of a result discuss. The first thing to say is that Hibs to a man were magnificent. Enormous amounts of energy and a real get in their faces approach was what we all wanted to see and we were not disappointed. They ran Hearts ragged in the first half and sat back in the second to watch the hosts’ pathetic attempts to salvage something.
Ahead of the game we heard that Flo was out injured so that meant Doidge on his own up top – or so we thought. As it turned out, Boyle and to a lesser extent Horgan were willing runners to get up in support of the big fella.
The opening exchanges were lively, given that they were played on a disgraceful pitch more befitting that of a junior team. Hearts were physical from the off and referee Don Robertson was being quite charitable in allowing obvious fouls to go unpunished. We’d played a little over five minutes when Scott Allan, wide on the left lifted a high ball into the centre of the Hearts box. First to react was Boyle who met the ball on the drop and beautifully steered it beyond the keeper and into the net. The Roseburn Stand exploded in celebration whilst the occupants of the other three stands either booed or sat with their heads in their hands.
Apparently Stendel wants his team to play a high press but on the evidence of today he has learned that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. It must have been all the more galling for him watching Hibs execute a high press that had the Hearts players looking over run. It was brilliant to watch the likes of Doidge and Allan racing to close down Berra and Halkett the result of which being that one looks like he’s lost it and the other looks like he never had it in the first place.
Hibs were by now enjoying the way the game was going and the fans could and perhaps should have been celebrating a second but Slivka fired wide from a good position and Allan’s corner beat Pereira but hit the outside of the post. There was unrest in the home stands and it grew louder on the half hour mark as Allan nicked the ball from Damour, fed Boyle who skipped inside a challenge and fired past the advancing keeper to make it 2-0.
The home side had offered very little although a fine effort from Meshino brought out an equally fine save from Marciano. Unsurprisingly, Hearts’ main target was to go long to Ikpeazu but it must be said that whilst he always provided a handful physically, McGregor and Hanlon were more than up to the task of denying him the chance to do any damage. The big Hearts striker was having such a hard time of it he even had the Hibs fans chanting his name. Put it this way, if I were a coo and Uche had a banjo in his hand I wouldn't be worrying about getting a sore arse.
As anticipated, Stendel made some half time changes but though the home side had more of the ball they never really looked like they might score. From open play they were hesitant and lacking in conviction and if they were going to score it would have been from a set play but whenever a ball was delivered into the Hibs box from a corner or a free kick our central defenders, ably supported by Doidge were more than up to the task of clearing any danger.
Those chances that Hearts did create and I recall only three in the whole of the second half saw Meshino shoot feebly wide and big Uche scuffing an effort under great pressure from Stevenson before Rocky made a fine double save to deny Henderson. For obvious reasons I’m very fond of the name Henderson but this particular version failed to deliver.
Jake Mulraney, lucky to only get a yellow for a shocking challenge on Boyle, had failed miserably on both wings as both Naismith and Stevenson found room in their pockets for the Hearts man. He was replaced by Keena who contributed the square root of zero as the clock ticked down to the end of the game.
Coming away from Tynecastle with a smile on your face doesn’t happen nearly often enough but there were beaming smiles all around as the Hibs fans emptied the decrepit Roseburn Stand.
The players
Marciano – Made a few good saves and I have to say his distribution was 100 times better than normal. His first half save from Meshino looked incredible and I’ve not seen it again so I hope I don’t sound uncharitable but at that moment in time it looked like a save for the cameras.
Naismith – Part of a very solid back four and defended very well. He also got forward a lot and added to Hearts’ woes by dragging their wide man back with him.
McGregor – Somebody told me he’s been out injured for ages but that can’t be right, surely? Daz played like he’d never been away, was immense throughout and particularly so in the last ten minutes when Hearts threw everything at us. Others came close but Daz wins my man of the match award.
Hanlon – Much has been made lately of Paul not being physical enough and many worried that Ikpeazu would bully him. The fact is Paul was superb and dealt very well with the physical threat.
Stevenson – Lewis will have several bruises on his legs tonight as he was hacked down several times, mostly when clearing the ball from a dangerous area. The wee man was outstanding and ran Daz close.
Slivka – Viki went about his business well today and gave the Hearts midfield duo of Damour and Smith very little time to settle on the ball. There was nothing spectacular to highlight but his overall play was of the highest standard.
Hallberg – I think the big fella gets better with each game and it was fantastic to see his interaction with the fans at the end of the game. He celebrated as though he were a lifelong Hibs fan!
Boyle – In the first half, Boyle was unplayable and his two goals were brilliantly taken. Martin is not the biggest in a physical sense but he doesn’t shy away from confrontation, getting himself booked after a shoving match with the dreadful Michael Smith.
Allan – Coming out of the game I remarked that I thought Scotty had been a bit quiet but if you take into account his two assists and his remarkable energy in chasing down the player with the ball I was clearly talking mince!
Horgan – Daryl had a good first half and helped Lewis down that side of the park but he offered very little after the break as he visibly tired and so it was no surprise when he was replaced about twenty minutes from the end.
Doidge – No goals from him today but I thought he was in great form and often made Berra and Halkett look like the huddies they are. There were times when the Hearts men doubled up on him and he still invariably won the header.
Mallan – replaced Scotty with around twenty minutes to go and put in a decent shift. It’s ironic that when a ball broke loose near the edge of the Hearts box and in that split second you were delighted it was Mallan coming on to it that he scuffed his shot wide.
Newell – Replaced the ineffectual Horgan and probably did more in his first few minutes than Daryl had done in the second half before him. Joe’s got talent, I’m convinced and I feel it is up to the coaches to develop that further.
Jack Ross – His interview had just finished as I got back to the car but I had the ‘privilege’ of hearing Stendel’s. Did he really say they had dominated the game or was that lost in translation?
Don Robertson – Had an up and down game for me. Let some obvious fouls go but to his credit he wasn’t fooled by Ikpeazu’s pathetic attempts at winning a penalty.
The Fans – A fantastic turnout and as far as I could see we were well behaved. Didn’t see any flares or objects thrown on to the park and particularly enjoyed the seasonal ditty … Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells …………………
Enough of me whining on though as there’s a cracker of a result discuss. The first thing to say is that Hibs to a man were magnificent. Enormous amounts of energy and a real get in their faces approach was what we all wanted to see and we were not disappointed. They ran Hearts ragged in the first half and sat back in the second to watch the hosts’ pathetic attempts to salvage something.
Ahead of the game we heard that Flo was out injured so that meant Doidge on his own up top – or so we thought. As it turned out, Boyle and to a lesser extent Horgan were willing runners to get up in support of the big fella.
The opening exchanges were lively, given that they were played on a disgraceful pitch more befitting that of a junior team. Hearts were physical from the off and referee Don Robertson was being quite charitable in allowing obvious fouls to go unpunished. We’d played a little over five minutes when Scott Allan, wide on the left lifted a high ball into the centre of the Hearts box. First to react was Boyle who met the ball on the drop and beautifully steered it beyond the keeper and into the net. The Roseburn Stand exploded in celebration whilst the occupants of the other three stands either booed or sat with their heads in their hands.
Apparently Stendel wants his team to play a high press but on the evidence of today he has learned that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. It must have been all the more galling for him watching Hibs execute a high press that had the Hearts players looking over run. It was brilliant to watch the likes of Doidge and Allan racing to close down Berra and Halkett the result of which being that one looks like he’s lost it and the other looks like he never had it in the first place.
Hibs were by now enjoying the way the game was going and the fans could and perhaps should have been celebrating a second but Slivka fired wide from a good position and Allan’s corner beat Pereira but hit the outside of the post. There was unrest in the home stands and it grew louder on the half hour mark as Allan nicked the ball from Damour, fed Boyle who skipped inside a challenge and fired past the advancing keeper to make it 2-0.
The home side had offered very little although a fine effort from Meshino brought out an equally fine save from Marciano. Unsurprisingly, Hearts’ main target was to go long to Ikpeazu but it must be said that whilst he always provided a handful physically, McGregor and Hanlon were more than up to the task of denying him the chance to do any damage. The big Hearts striker was having such a hard time of it he even had the Hibs fans chanting his name. Put it this way, if I were a coo and Uche had a banjo in his hand I wouldn't be worrying about getting a sore arse.
As anticipated, Stendel made some half time changes but though the home side had more of the ball they never really looked like they might score. From open play they were hesitant and lacking in conviction and if they were going to score it would have been from a set play but whenever a ball was delivered into the Hibs box from a corner or a free kick our central defenders, ably supported by Doidge were more than up to the task of clearing any danger.
Those chances that Hearts did create and I recall only three in the whole of the second half saw Meshino shoot feebly wide and big Uche scuffing an effort under great pressure from Stevenson before Rocky made a fine double save to deny Henderson. For obvious reasons I’m very fond of the name Henderson but this particular version failed to deliver.
Jake Mulraney, lucky to only get a yellow for a shocking challenge on Boyle, had failed miserably on both wings as both Naismith and Stevenson found room in their pockets for the Hearts man. He was replaced by Keena who contributed the square root of zero as the clock ticked down to the end of the game.
Coming away from Tynecastle with a smile on your face doesn’t happen nearly often enough but there were beaming smiles all around as the Hibs fans emptied the decrepit Roseburn Stand.
The players
Marciano – Made a few good saves and I have to say his distribution was 100 times better than normal. His first half save from Meshino looked incredible and I’ve not seen it again so I hope I don’t sound uncharitable but at that moment in time it looked like a save for the cameras.
Naismith – Part of a very solid back four and defended very well. He also got forward a lot and added to Hearts’ woes by dragging their wide man back with him.
McGregor – Somebody told me he’s been out injured for ages but that can’t be right, surely? Daz played like he’d never been away, was immense throughout and particularly so in the last ten minutes when Hearts threw everything at us. Others came close but Daz wins my man of the match award.
Hanlon – Much has been made lately of Paul not being physical enough and many worried that Ikpeazu would bully him. The fact is Paul was superb and dealt very well with the physical threat.
Stevenson – Lewis will have several bruises on his legs tonight as he was hacked down several times, mostly when clearing the ball from a dangerous area. The wee man was outstanding and ran Daz close.
Slivka – Viki went about his business well today and gave the Hearts midfield duo of Damour and Smith very little time to settle on the ball. There was nothing spectacular to highlight but his overall play was of the highest standard.
Hallberg – I think the big fella gets better with each game and it was fantastic to see his interaction with the fans at the end of the game. He celebrated as though he were a lifelong Hibs fan!
Boyle – In the first half, Boyle was unplayable and his two goals were brilliantly taken. Martin is not the biggest in a physical sense but he doesn’t shy away from confrontation, getting himself booked after a shoving match with the dreadful Michael Smith.
Allan – Coming out of the game I remarked that I thought Scotty had been a bit quiet but if you take into account his two assists and his remarkable energy in chasing down the player with the ball I was clearly talking mince!
Horgan – Daryl had a good first half and helped Lewis down that side of the park but he offered very little after the break as he visibly tired and so it was no surprise when he was replaced about twenty minutes from the end.
Doidge – No goals from him today but I thought he was in great form and often made Berra and Halkett look like the huddies they are. There were times when the Hearts men doubled up on him and he still invariably won the header.
Mallan – replaced Scotty with around twenty minutes to go and put in a decent shift. It’s ironic that when a ball broke loose near the edge of the Hearts box and in that split second you were delighted it was Mallan coming on to it that he scuffed his shot wide.
Newell – Replaced the ineffectual Horgan and probably did more in his first few minutes than Daryl had done in the second half before him. Joe’s got talent, I’m convinced and I feel it is up to the coaches to develop that further.
Jack Ross – His interview had just finished as I got back to the car but I had the ‘privilege’ of hearing Stendel’s. Did he really say they had dominated the game or was that lost in translation?
Don Robertson – Had an up and down game for me. Let some obvious fouls go but to his credit he wasn’t fooled by Ikpeazu’s pathetic attempts at winning a penalty.
The Fans – A fantastic turnout and as far as I could see we were well behaved. Didn’t see any flares or objects thrown on to the park and particularly enjoyed the seasonal ditty … Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells …………………