Hearts 2 Aberdeen 0

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

Goals by striker Mark de Vries and substitute Andy Kirk gave Hearts all three points against Aberdeen in their opening-day clash at Tynecastle.

The big Dutchman created and finished a chance at the edge of the Dons penalty area after only 15 minutes to put the home side into an early lead from which the visitors never really recovered.

Despite an improvement from the Pittodrie men in the second half, the home side controlled the rest of the game and wrapped up the points deep into injury time when Kirk netted from close range.

It was clear from the start of this game that de Vries, with his strength in holding up play, was going to be an important player for the Jambos.

Dons defender Russell Anderson was struggling to contain him and when he laid the ball off to Robert Sloan inside the box in the 12th minute, the visiting fans breathed a sigh of relief when the ball went wide.

There was a much closer call for the visitors a minute later when Sloan's free-kick was met by de Vries and his header from 10 yards struck the crossbar before eventually being cleared.

There was no real surprise when the home side took the lead after 15 minutes and less surprise that the scorer was de Vries. He took control of the ball just outside the Dons box, turned, evaded a couple of despairing tackles from Michael Hart and Anderson and slipped his shot past David Preece and into the corner of the net for a classic goal.

In the 23rd minute the tireless Alan Maybury sent in a searching cross from wide on the right and de Vries again got his head to it, this time sending it over the crossbar from close range.

De Vries always offered a threat any time the ball came his way and in the 36th minute he set up Phil Stamp at the edge of the Dons box but the former Middlesbrough player's left-foot shot went wide of Preece's left-hand post.

It was the Dons who had the first effort on goal of the second period in the 50th minute but David Zdrilic's shot from the edge of the box, after good work by Stevie Tosh to set him up, went high over the crossbar.

At the other end, Andy Webster just failed to connect with a Scott Severin free-kick to the back post with Preece rooted to the spot.

Then, a Paul Sheerin free-kick from 20 yards had Tepi Moilanen scrambling to save.

In the 55th minute the tenacious Severin picked up a loose ball at the edge of the Dons box but his volley was easily saved by Preece who kept a close eye on the ball all the way.

Two minutes later the home side were dealt a blow when the injured de Vries had to be substituted with Kevin McKenna coming on to take his place.

A minute later Hearts were denied a penalty claim when Paul Hartley clashed with Hart inside the Dons box but referee Willie Young was probably right to wave play on.

In the 74th minute Moilanen had to move smartly to his right to save a Markus Heikkinen shot which came through a forest of bodies.

Inside injury time Moilanen tipped an angled volley by Paul Sheerin from 16 yards over the crossbar when it looked like the Dons midfielder had rescued a point.

But Hearts ran up the park and a Sloan cross from the left was met by substitute Kirk, on earlier for Dennis Wyness, and he tapped into an open goal to seal the victory.

Teams

Hearts Moilanen, Maybury, Pressley, Webster, McCann, Hartley, Stamp (Gordon 74), Severin, Sloan, de Vries (McKenna 58), Wyness (Kirk 65).

Subs Not Used: Boyack, MacFarlane.

Booked: Webster, Maybury.

Goals: de Vries 16, Kirk 90.

Aberdeen Preece, Hart, Anderson, McGuire, McNaughton (Clark 79), Tosh, Sheerin, Hinds (Mackie 71), McQuilken, Zdrilic (Booth 79), Heikkinen.

Subs Not Used: Esson, Tiernan.

Att: 14,260

Ref: W Young (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com