Wyness spots his chance to wow the Hearts fans

MARK WOODS
AT TYNECASTLE

HEARTS 1 Wyness 66 pen
ABERDEEN 0

WHAT might the next 24 hours bring for Hearts and Aberdeen? If it is as frenetic as this 90 minute portion of the last, expect cheque book opening and contract chatting aplenty as the tick-tock of the transfer window clock rumbles in the background. John Robertson may have more concerns about potential departures than arrivals but a penalty from Dennis Wyness which saw the capital outfit rise up to fourth in the Premiership at least provided a brief respite from those managerial headaches.

The blinding winter sunshine which slowly eroded beyond the environs of Tynecastle cast a lengthy dim shadow but it was not alone. The will he, won’t he narrative surrounding the future of Paul Hartley served to obscure some of the joy derived from the result for the home faithful, even with the enticing prospect of consecutive opportunities to advance towards Cup silverware which will come their way in the next seven days.

The presently injured midfielder stayed away yesterday, perhaps a sensible move. Ardour, even towards those as beloved as Hartley, can so quickly turn to disaffection but there is a sense of realism over his wish to switch to Parkhead. "Everyone, the fans, the board, me can understand his dilemma," reflected Robertson. "If Celtic submit the right bid, the board will accept it and he’ll go with our best wishes." Surely not worth the presumed asking £1.2 million, he may nevertheless have his price.

What is certain is that given his excellent form over the last 18 months, Hartley will be missed at the hub of Robertson’s line-up should he take his leave. With his list of unavailables still troublingly lengthy, the vacancy was filled, for the moment, by Saulius Mikoliunas. The Lithuanian, making his first start for the hosts, was diligent and even occasionally influential, though well shackled by the Dons compact defensive block. Their mastery, and that of their counterparts, nullified much of the attacking initiative, Andy Webster and Steven Pressley marshalling Darren Mackie and Noel Whelan with Messrs. Anderson and Diamond doing likewise with a good degree of help from Kevin McNaughton.

It was the visitors’ left-back who set a tone in the fourth minute when his well-struck volley flew 25 metres beyond the top corner of Craig Gordon’s goal. Held at bay, long range became the distance of choice, to little avail.

So the contest of give and take continued, over-spilling momentarily when Webster lashed out at Whelan after the Scotland cap had tumbled while jockeying for position in the box ahead of yet another set-piece. He was lucky not to be cautioned, a feat the ex- Coventry and Leeds striker soon accomplished for himself, a sin compounded when he later rifled across the goalmouth after some terrific initiative from McNaughton to carve out a chance.

The best two of the first period fell to Hearts, however. Lee Miller glanced wide of Ryan Esson’s upright when a more fulsome touch would have truly tested the keeper. Then in injury time, Miller’s searching header back across a crowded area wreaked momentary havoc. Webster could not connect as he lunged frenetically but Wyness did better with an overhead kick which catapulted back off the bar.

If the absence of Hartley, and to an equal extent Phil Stamp, left Hearts without a natural link through to their front two, then you can see why Jim Calderwood is so keen to prise Barry Nicholson away from Dunfermline. A little bit of extra bite would do the Dons no harm, only though if accompanied by a cool head.

Whelan, never renowned for such tranquillity, lost his to his team’s cost as the hosts grabbed what would be the winner in the 66th minute. Pressley, on one of his sporadic but highly effective surges upfield, gambolled 15 metres before tumbling over Whelan’s out-stretched leg, the Englishman claiming he had dived, but more importantly Mike McCurry pointing to the spot. Wyness was unruffled and calmly sent Esson the wrong way to collect his seventh goal of the campaign.

"We were feeling aggrieved so we started playing a bit," conceded Calderwood who turned to his bench in an attempt to rejuvenate his troops. Steven Craig, Whelan’s replacement, impressed most but failed to properly test Gordon when set free on goal. Robertson too felt the need for invigoration, bringing a brief debut for Mark Burchill following his arrival on loan from Portsmouth until the end of the season.

The one-time Celtic starlet chased eagerly but his main contribution was as the first line of defence as the Dons pressurised. With five minutes left, it looked to have paid off when Gordon could only get one hand on Hart’s utterly exquisite lob. Craig arrived to bundle the ball in but Mackie and John Stewart, on the line, were deemed offside. Hearts rejoiced, Hartley but an after-thought.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, McAllister, Hamill, Mikoliunas (Stewart 80), MacFarlane, Simmons (Berra 86), Wyness (Burchill 80), Miller. Subs not used: McKenna, Pereira, Thorarinsson, Moilanen.

Aberdeen: Esson, Hart, Anderson, Diamond, McNaughton, Heikkinen, Winter (Foster 73), Kristjansson (Stewart 58), Clark, Mackie, Whelan (Craig 63). Subs not used: Considine, Adams, Morrison, Ilic.

Referee: M McCurry

Taken from the Scotsman