Calderwood draws the right spirit from Aberdeen

SIMON PIA AT TYNECASTLE

A NORTHERN light could be flickering at the end of the tunnel at Pittodrie although it would be premature to say they have been switched back on. But a current is running through the club that something might be changing and Jimmy Calderwood will be satisfied with his side’s performance at Tynecastle where they have not won for over five years. The support will be grateful for two points on the board as in seasons past they might have expected nothing from these fixtures.

But already Calderwood has reorganised the defence and midfield which contained a Hearts side impotent without their Dutch colossus Mark de Vries. Hearts’ only goal threat came from new signing Ramon Pereira but the service was meagre and without the long ball option Hearts quickly ran out of ideas.

Meanwhile nothing was more indicative of the financial shambles Hearts are in than the presence of Scott Severin in an Aberdeen shirt yesterday. For probably not a hell of a lot more money he could still be at Tynecastle but with no club down south picking him up it must stick in Craig Levein¹s craw to see him turn out for another SPL club.

Severin, a more than useful utility player, would have undoubtedly appeared on Hearts’ team sheet if still in Gorgie. Indeed it appeared Severin’s heart still lay there when he sliced a clearance from a corner after six minutes setting the ball up tantalisingly for Graham Weir but the striker was too intent on barging Aberdeen goalkeeper David Preece. The challenge was very much in keeping with the rugged start to what politely could be called a towsy affair.

However it was another defensive error that gave Aberdeen their only chance of the first half when Alan Maybury’s slack back pass on the left let in Aberdeen’s Finnish internationalist Markus Heikkinen. The Finn tried to place the ball over Craig Gordon and could well have beaten a lesser goalkeeper but Gordon showed his international class elongating his arm to tip over.

Meanwhile the rough stuff continued, Phil Stamp a primary exponent with a two-footed tackle on Phil McGuire followed up by a follow-through on Russell Anderson with his studs up. But not a peep was heard from referee Kevin Toner. The message was clear. Anyone coming to Tynecastle may outplay Hearts but never outbattle them.

What guile they had came from Pereira. Making his mark at Raith last season as a flamboyant if not hotheaded player , it was there for all to see yesterday. Two deft first-half headers from the back post tested Preece with the second one being scooped out from under the bar by Anderson as Paul Hartley rushed in.

Then four minutes from half time Pereira exploded onto a pass from Patrick Kisnorbo. His shot came out like a canon but flashed just over. However a unseemly tussle with Zander Diamond when both were booked in 25th minute was the precursor of many yellow cards he will likely pick up in SPL.

Apart from Pereira, Hearts were thwarted by Calderwood’s tightened up midfield of Heikkinen, Severin and Tosh. They adjusted well even when Chris Clark went off with a pulled hamstring after half an hour and Derek Adams slotted in.

However Stephen Craig and Noel Whelan were stretched to get anything out of Hearts formidable trio at the core of their defence Gordon, Pressley and Webster. Indeed Webster outshone his captain with a classic piece of defending Levein himself would have been proud of in his heyday when he tackled Craig honing in on goal. At the other end Anderson was having an equally formidable game for Aberdeen as was Kevin McNaughton.

Pereira squeezed in another header six minutes into the second half which Preece did well to get to but from then on hearts got little leeway.

In the heat Hearts wilted more than Aberdeen, who finished the match in the ascendancy, and only a superlative save by Gordon from substitute Derek Adams’ back post header after Tosh had picked him out with a curling cross denied them a snatched victory.

Pereira had one last chance but McNaughton was there to clear. Neither side deserved to lose or win, but Calderwood will be happier with the draw than Levein.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Maybury, Pressley, Webster, Kisnorbo, Hartley, Stamp, Hamill (Stewart 82), Pereira, Weir (Wyness 67). Subs Not Used: Moilanen, MacFarlane, McAllister, Janczyk, Berra.

Aberdeen: Preece, McGuire, Anderson, Diamond, McNaughton, Tosh, Severin, Heikkinen, Clark (Adams 33), Craig (Foster 77), Whelan. Subs Not Used: Esson, Morrison, Tiernan, Stewart.

Referee: K Toner.

Taken from the Scotsman