Following on from the previous week’s away day in Aberdeen it was back to Tynecastle for what the Jambos hoped would be a fairly routine league match against a struggling St Mirren side.
My Dad was still out of the country enjoying a holiday (he's retired, isn't his whole life one big holiday?), so my brother-in-law Darren joined me for the match....and of course the obligatory pre-match drink in The Diggers.
The travelling supporters in the Roseburn stand (before kick off).
On paper and despite Hearts poor home form, one felt that the home side should win this encounter without too much difficulty, however, there was still a nagging feeling that St Mirren simply had to have a good day sooner or later and that this match could well be a turning point for them.
Right from kick off Hearts put paid to any such notion. An attacking move up the right flank, maserminded by the in-form Suso, led to the ball breaking to Rudi Skacel in the centre of the park just outside the 18 yard box. Skacel showed his pedigree by coolly despatching the ball past the Saints keeper to put the home side one goal ahead.
Hearts jog back to their half after taking an early lead (after 45 seconds I believe)
The game continued in the same vein for much of the first half and it was shortly before the half time interval that Skacel doubled hearts lead. As soon as he connected with the free kick Hearts had been awarded just outside the Buddies’ box, everyone present in the stadium could tell it was goal. The ball flew high past the helpless Samson to double Hearts' lead. "That was quality!" commented Darren as he joined in the exuberent celebrations.... and he wasn't wrong.
St Mirren restart after the second goal.
The halftime interval was livened up by Hearts goalkeeping legend Gilles Rousset making a return to his old stomping ground. Rousset received a warm reception from the crowd and seemed to be enjoying his return to the ground we’re he spent a large chunk of his playing career. He was joined on the pitch by another former player Husref Musemic, who joined Gilles in chatting with the legend that is the Hearts stadium announcer Scott Wilson.
Gilles and Husref chat with Scott.
The second half soon got under way and Hearts appeared in no particular rush to add to their two goal tally. St Mirren never really threatened and the game looked like petering out to a finish until right before the final whistle. Hearts won the ball in the middle of the park before Skacel found himslf in possession with plenty space around him. The St Mirren defenders continued to back off as Rudi bared down upon goal allowing the Czech to take the ball wide, before cutting back inside and slotting the ball past the keeper, thus completing his well deserved hat-trick.
Looking from the Main Stand Enclosure towards the Wheatfield Stand.
Skacel (along with Suso) was an absolute stand out and thoroughly deserved his success. He had been at the centre of everything good about Hearts attacking play and whilst he may be slowing down a bit nowadays, he still has that extra bit of quality which can lift a game out of the doldrums and he possesses an ability to occasionally do something magical. Rudi made a nice gesture at the final whistle as he walked over to a young woman in the Wheatfield stand who’d been waving a Czech shirt in his honour and presented her with his match shirt.
Photo taken shortly before Skacel's third goal.
So as the happy home supporters left the stadium at the final whistle Darren and I headed for home rather than back to the pub. In addition to our pre-match drink, we'd seen an impressive Hearts victory and a Skacel hattrick. As such we thought calling our respective wives to tell them we were heading back to the bar might just be pushing out luck a bit!
