Hearts confirm league form

RAY HEPBURN

23 Apr 1990

Hearts 1, Aberdeen 0

ONE goal 12 minutes from time at Tynecastle on Saturday was sufficient to lift Gary Mackay's gloom for the season when the Edinburgh team completed a full premier-division card against Aberdeen.

Four times the teams have met in the championship this season, and Aberdeen have yet to come out with a win.

But that statistic will not provide enough comfort for Alex MacDonald's players to forget the hammering they took in the Scottish Cup five weeks ago.

However, they still had a point to prove on Saturday.

Over the last decade Hearts have broken into the mould at the top of Scottish football, and divided the monopoly enjoyed by Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, and Dundee United.

And judging by their workmanlike display on Saturday, it seems certain that they are there are to stay.

There were excuses for both teams to do badly.

Hearts could pin their mitigation on a long, hard, and taxing season while Aberdeen have the Scottish Cup final to look forward to in three weeks' time.

But the Aberdeen players looked happier to take the excuse, and they lost as a result.

In recent weeks, the men from the North have been expected to provide some sparkle up front.

On Saturday, however, it was the Hearts players who were the more adventurous.

It was not their fault that the deciding goal had to wait until 12 minutes from time.

The fact that manager MacDonald had sent on Scott Crabbe to make his complement of strikers four when he replaced Eamonn Bannon could not be overlooked.

It was Crabbe's fresh legs which produced the first shot that was blocked, Robertson than had a dig, but Mackay's finish was perfect as he drove the ball low past Theo Snelders from 12 yards.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, Berry, McPherson, Colquhoun, Mackay, Robertson, Foster, Bannon.

Substitutes -- Crabbe, Kirkwood.

ABERDEEN -- Snelders, G Watson, D Robertson, Grant, McLeish, Irvine, Jess, Bett, Mason, Connor, Guillhaus.

Substitutes -- I Robertson, C Robertson.

Referee -- M McGinley (Clydebank).