Match Report

Thursday, 27th November, 2008

by Julian Peck

Hearts break the bairns

VANDALS found their way into Tynecastle Stadium during the early hours of Saturday morning and attempted to snap the crossbars.

But after an urgent repair job was undertaken, in order for the game to go ahead, Falkirk were ultimately left broken by Hearts instead.

Although not confirmed, an official suggested that a certain football club on the other side of the city was even willing to come to their aid if the emergency welding didn't hold.

Hibs' intervention duly ended there, though, if at all, but one of their former players was still powerless to prevent the Jambos from finding the net twice after Steve Lovell's opener.

John Hughes is still a favourite down Easter Road way and always takes some fairly light-hearted stick when he returns to the sidelines at the home of their arch rivals.

"You're just a thin Paatelainen!" was perhaps the more flattering (or at least printable) chant directed at the visitors' dug-out from the supporters housed in the main stand.

But if Hughes was on the pitch instead he still could have done nothing about the equaliser – even if, like Darren Barr, he was simply carrying out his defensive duties to the best of his ability.

Standing his ground and attempting to fairly attack a lofted ball forward with his head, Christian Nade clearly backed into the Falkirk captain but still won a free-kick from referee Eddie Smith.

There was no question about the validity of Bruno Aguiar's stunning goal from the resulting set-piece, which powerfully flew 28 yards and into the top right corner despite a feint touch from Scott Flinders.

Yet the Edinburgh side went on to grab the winner through Andrew Driver and Hughes had every right to feel a little aggrieved at the one which allowed it to become so.

"Although it was a great free-kick, I thought it was a foul on Barr," he said.

"Nade was backing in but the referee still awarded plenty of those types of fouls against Michael Higdon."

Any blame in the run up to Hearts' second strike, however, lay squarely with Arnau Riera.

His short pass to Lee Bullen in the middle of the park allowed Driver to gain possession and advance forward before rounding Barr and Flinders to finish off a fantastic solo effort.

It meant that the Bairns' run of six games unbeaten finally came to an end, and also kept a 13-year winless hoodoo down Gorgie way alive.

That vital statistic looked like one that may well have been zeroed, though, when the visitors took the lead in the 16th minute.

A headed clearance from Bullen was nodded on by Kevin McBride to Lovell who passed to Higdon and received an excellent through ball in return.

And, as Janos Balogh raced from his line, Lovell burst forward and toe-poked into the gaping goal from 20 yards.

Yet, just three minutes later, Aguiar got his side back on level terms. "To go one up and concede so soon after was disappointing," said Hughes.

"We won't win football matches if we continue to lose goals like we did for their second one either."

"There wasn't much between the two teams but it's hard enough coming here without giving them that. It was self-inflicted and cost us dear."

"We shot ourselves in the foot and should be disappointed because we're better than that."

Hearts looked the more likely to score until the swift counter-attack put Falkirk on the front foot.

It was, perhaps, an even more unlikely lead considering their increasing injury list. Jackie McNamara, Neil McCann, Dean Holden, Gerard Aafjes, Scott Arfield, Tam Scobbie and Carl Finnigan were all out, while Russell Latapy was yet to return from international duty.

However, one replacement, Chris Mitchell, threatened on a couple of occasions.

His free-kick in the first half bounced inches wide of the left post and a long-range cross-cum-shot after the break forced Balogh to turn the ball away for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece Bullen rose highest and his header was cleared off the line by Aguiar.

The Bairns' best opportunity to snatch a point then came shortly afterwards when Mitchell sent yet another dangerous ball into the box, but Higdon, 10 yards out, somehow directed his headed effort wide and Hearts held on for their fourth win on the trot.

"We gave it one rousing go in the last 15 minutes and could have got something if Higdon's header had hit the target, but maybe we just need to take it on the chin and roll on," added Hughes.

"Other than Hearts' second goal, the only other criticism is that I've seen us pass better through the midfield."

"Yet the boys played the game in the right manner and were well organised, and I was pleased for Chris Mitchell and Dermot McCaffrey, who were making their first starts of the season."

"They were brought to a tough venue but showed, when called upon, that they can stand up to it."

"Hopefully a few more players will be back this weekend but, if not, it gives others a great chance – they certainly took it here."