Hearts go home relieved to have a second chance

IAN PAUL

2 Feb 1995

Clydebank 1, Hearts 1

LIKE many another team before them, Hearts found Kilbowie Park a tough hunting ground in the Tennents Scottish Cup third-round tie and went back up the M8 last night happy to be getting another chance on their own pitch next Monday.

Bankies may not have been in great form in the first division recently, but invariably seemed to revel in taking on the big shots on their home pitch, and they made life difficult for the premier division side.

Hearts had found the first division team prepared to match their own attempts at playing a passing game and the consequence was a cup-tie unusually ordered, especially at this type of ground.

The Edinburgh side seemed to have taken the measure of their opponents at the time they went ahead from a John Robertson penalty.

Maybe they had, but the equaliser from Ken Eadie -- who seems to have been scoring goals for decades in Clydebank -- came before they were able to settle properly in front.

From then on it was anybody's guess who would be next to score, and for a spell in the second half Clydebank held the initiative, although they didn't create many real chances.

Their best players were in defence where Sean Sweeney and, in particular, Scott Murdoch did sterling work, while the same could be said of Dave McPherson, who was Hearts' most proficient player.

It was not difficult to guess which of the two managers was happier.

Brian Wright, of Clydebank, felt that his team had done themselves proud.

"My only disappointment is that we did not go on to win the game," he said.

"But we have no fears of going to Tynecastle." For Hearts, manager Tommy McLean it was "a below-par performance."

Even if he did get his name on the score sheet, Robertson will know he could have done it much earlier.

Craig Levein did the running from deep in defence, but his pass towards Brian Hamilton was diverted into the path of the striker who was defied by a good blocking run from keeper Gary Matthews.

The first division lads came scurrying back, but Hearts got the break they were due in 30 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Gary Mackay had been sandwiched inside the penalty area by Derek Crawford and Steve Jack.

Despite his earlier miss, Robertson had no problem with the spot kick.

But if Hearts thought that was the job done they soon learned differently.

Within three minutes Flannigan sped down the right and when his cross came over, Eadie headed the ball firmly into the far side of the net.

Kevin Thomas didn't appear for the second half, Willie Jamieson taking his place.

Murdoch became the first man to be booked after he pulled down Hagen from behind.

Then Bankies nearly snatched the lead with a Lansdowne effort which was just off target.

Crawford, who had suffered an injury, had to leave the field to be replaced by John Walker.

A few minutes later Jim Bett also had to be replaced because of injury, John Colquhoun coming on.

CLYDEBANK -- Matthews, McStay, Crawford, Murdoch, Sweeney, Currie, Cooper, Landsdowne, Eadie, Flannigan, Jack.

Substitutes -- Walker, Grady, Monaghan.

HEARTS -- Nelson, Frail, Miller, Levein, Mackay, McPherson, Hamilton, Bett, Thomas, Robertson, Hagen.

Substitutes -- Colquhoun, Jamieson, Smith.

Referee -- H Williamson (Renfrew).

Taken from the Herald