Hearts’ season continues to go from bad to worse as they crashed out of the Conference League by drawing with Moldovans Petrocub.
Fans voiced their frustrations after the Jambos clawed their way back into the game from 1-0 down to take the lead through James Wilson and Blair Spittal, only to concede an equaliser and throw it all way.
Hearts started positively and looked to control the game, working the ball into the box on a few occasions and winning some attacking set-pieces.
Lawrence Shankland forced Silviu Smalanea into a stretching save with a shot that was destined for the top corner until his intervention. The keeper also had to be alert to punch away a number of dangerous deliveries into the box.
They weren’t looking all that secure in defence but that as more of their own doing than anything the opposition were throwing at them.
Kye Rowles could and probably should have scored with a free header inside the box.
And that was made even worse instantly when the Moldovans broke forward and scored. It was another occasion where it was made far too easy to do so and the ball was crossed to Sergiu Platica who had drifted away from Craig Halkett and guided it past Craig Gordon.
Just before the half, Gordon presented Petrocub with a chance via a poor pass out but Platica headed the resulting cross over.
What a moment for 17-year-old James Wilson on 64 minutes as he got his first European goal for the club. Shankland did brilliantly to lay one on a plate for him from James Penrice’s clipped pass and the young man was the calmest man in Tynecastle to stroke it low into the net.
Just seven minutes later it was two. Hearts worked it well around the box and after Yan Dhanda delivered, Blair Spittal got the second contact on it and cushioned a header in.
But it was soon level again. Gordon was unlucky as he had just made a unbelievable save but, in the same move, James Penrice was ruled to have handballed through a VAR check. Victor Mudrac sent the big keeper the wrong way.
Heart went direct to try and push at the end but couldn’t find a way through and are out the Conference League on goals scored.
Euro dream over
Hearts hoped to still be in Europe beyond Christmas for the first time in decades.
Doing that could have given new meaning to this miserable season while a big moment tonight could have acted as a watershed moment.
Instead tonight just served to dampen the mood even further and frustrations spilled over.
Same old failings
For around 60 minutes, the same things that have been letting Hearts down all season were letting them down again.
They dominated possession and were able to work it up to and around the box but then looked clueless about what to do next.
They have been powderpuff in attack for weeks now and you just can’t see where the goals are coming from for large parts of games.
Nobody is scoring but nobody is really creating anyway. It is clearly partly a confidence thing but at a club this demanding you simply have to show more quality.
It took a 17-year-old to show the way to goal and display that calmness and composure that is required.
It is perhaps no surprise that it was goals scored that ended up putting them out of the competition.
In defence, there were still struggles too. It was all too easy for Petrocub to break forward for their first goal and then for Platica to pull away from Halkett to be found right in front of goal.
And the Jambos looked flimsy all night.
Reinforcements in January will help but they can’t afford to keep losing games in the meantime.
Two sides to Tynecastle
The two sides to Tynecastle were on show tonight.
As soon as the away side took the lead, the atmosphere turned.
Fans booed and groaned every time the ball went loose or back the away and they were literally booing as the play was happening.
It’s something that is probably always going to happen but screaming and booing and individuals and a collective that are clearly trying but extremely low on confidence is quite obviously going to be counter-productive.
The performance suffered as a result as belief plummeted even further.
But then as soon as Wilson found the net the gloom, anxiousness and tension lifted and the Hearts song echoed around the stadium.
Minutes later and they were ahead – showing just how important the mood around the stands can be.
It all turned again after the equaliser and ‘Sack the Board’ chants could be heard along with ‘Heart of Midlothian, we’re in the wrong hands.’
A handful of fans aimed vitriol at the players at the end but it must be said a good amount were applauding too.