Coyne drops in to make mark Tommy now proves to be the new hammer of Hearts

ian paul

23 Oct 1989

WIZ PAUL BLK

Celtic 2, Hearts 1

THERE is invariably a feeling that you are watching the big picture all over again when Hearts attempt to beat Celtic.

There is the usual maximum effort, the usual see-saw struggle, the familiar last-minute winner, a Celtic victory, and a goal or goals scored by a man in a Parkhead shirt who finds the Tynecastle net with inexplicable ease and regularity.

All of that was on the menu in the latest rerun as Tommy Coyne popped up from the bench to score the winner and add to the hat-trick with which he opened the season at Tynecastle.

Like his predecessor as hammer of the Hearts, Mark McGhee, Coyne has been around the football scene at various clubs and, like McGhee, takes some criticism from some of the Parkhead faithful.

Tommy, bought for £500,000 from Dundee early this year, can gather consolation from the experience of Mark who took a fair chunk of his four-year stint at Celtic Park to establish a bond with the fans, but in the end was accepted and valued by the east end divisions.

He was always able to score against Hearts, either as a substitute or as a starter in the team.

League and cup games came alike to the former Aberdeen and Hamburg player.

Now it seems as if Hearts must suffer the same lethal attention from his successor.

It is little wonder their manager, Alex MacDonald, shakes his head in bewilderment every time he leaves Glasgow after another dunt from fate.

"We know before we start that Celtic will score in the last minute," he said.

"So we need to be in front by then."

It was a brave joke in the circumstances, but it did not disguise the depth of his disappointment.

His mood contrasted with that of Billy McNeill who, none the less, described his side's display as short of their best.

His main satisfaction was in Coyne's contribution.

"There is a section of our support who seem to want to make him a fall guy.

It is hard for any player to accept that," said the manager.

MacDonald, on the other hand, was so angered by the loss of that Coyne goal that he entered into public criticism of one of his players, a rare occurrence.

"You are entitled to expect your keeper to come out and help when a ball is crossed at the six-yard line."

Henry Smith, the keeper in question, therefore, can at least expect some overtime in the practice sessions this week.

He, too, must hate the sight of that green-and-white jersey, so often has he suffered uncharacteristic aberrations in games against Celtic.

Yet for a long time he and his team-mates did seem to be heading for at worst a draw in a game that had its high points but more low ones.

Hearts had withstood an impressive opening burst by Celtic to force themselves into the game, and when they took the lead through Scott Crabbe, a young man who has earned his regular spot in the side, they had every chance of following up their excellent win over Aberdeen the previous week.

Crabbe brushed the ball over the line after Wayne Foster had made a fine run down the right to receive a searching pass from Dave McCreery.

They were able to recover their rhythm after Celtic drew level with a splendid goal from Roy Aitken after an equally splendid turn by Andy Walker.

It became increasingly fraught for them, however, as Aitken, switched into centre of midfield, gained more influence on the play and when he sent substitute Joe Miller off down the right Coyne was waiting to place his header out of Smith's reach.

It was the kind of last-gasp score which leaves one side elated and the other deflated.

At the same time, Hearts can take a deal of consolation from the fact that they proved last week's Pittodrie win was a true reflection of their improvement.

The arrival of McCreery has given them a tough authority in midfield, while Crabbe's eagerness and Foster's pace are capable of disturbing the best of teams.

Celtic played in patches but their front players, Dziekanowski and Walker, not to mention Coyne, always theatened a Tynecastle defence in which the two central defenders, Dave McPherson and Craig Levein, were outstanding.

Although generally disappointing, this first match of the second quarter of the championship offered enough evidence to suggest that Hearts, as well as Celtic, will be in the race for the line come April.

CELTIC -- Bonner, Morris, Burns, Aitken, Elliott, Whyte, Galloway, McStay, Dziekanowski, Walker, Mathie.

Substitutes -- Miller, Coyne.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, McCreery, McPherson, Colquhoun, Mackay, Foster, Crabbe, Bannon.

Substitutes -- Robertson, Kirkwood.

Referee -- K J Hope (Clarkston).