Clark strikes late to leave Hearts broken

Patrick Glenn
Sunday February 12, 2006
The Observer

Hearts' championship aspirations are not appropriate to their performances. A dreadful lack of consistency - they have failed to win back-to-back league matches since October - blemishes their credentials, the Tynecastle team beating Aberdeen comfortably one week and losing convincingly the next.

Despite taking the lead through Calum Elliot, there was a vulnerability about the Edinburgh side, exploited with an own goal from Steven Pressley and a deflected shot from Chris Clark late in the game.

Encouraged by their convincing victory over Rangers three days earlier, Aberdeen, at least temporarily, had some of the zest knocked out of them in quick time by that goal from Elliot. Hearts, having sustained damage in the 1-1 draw with Dundee United last Tuesday, appeared for much of the time to have been transformed from lethargic and ineffective zombies into animated and ambitious aggressors.

The visiting team would re-establish their rhythm after a period of adjustment to the shock of being behind so early, and the result was the kind of engrossing contest to be expected of rivals who had conspired to produce an eventful and controversial Tennents Scottish Cup tie a week before.

The Elliot goal had a curious look to it because of the identity and the location of the team-mate who provided the cross. Robbie Neilson, the right-back, arrived on the left, and his low centre eluded all except Elliot, the teenager beating Jamie Langfield with a low, left-foot drive from eight yards.

Rudi Skacel had already wasted a through-pass from Takis Fyssas by sending his shot from the left of the area wide of the far post, underlining the home team's willingness to swarm forward in attack during that period.

But, by the end of the first half, Aberdeen had reasserted themselves so impressively - and so dangerously - that Hearts had retained their lead only because of the outstanding work of their goalkeeper, Craig Gordon.

Having tipped a ferociously whipped cross from Clark from the right against his crossbar, Gordon had to dive left to prevent a free-kick from Barry Nicholson from crossing the line. Gordon followed these with an exceptional save to deny Jamie Smith.

The dreadful weather, and the consequently deteriorating conditions, would certainly have had something to do with the unexpected mediocrity of most of the second half. Freezing rain is not conducive to an enjoyable day playing an outdoor sport, and an all-round depression of the spirits seemed to be at the core of the drop in the general standard of play.

The Hearts players, it should be emphasised, seemed to become discouraged more readily than the away side, although they may have been disrupted by the two changes head coach Graham Rix made at the interval.

Ludek Straceny - who would later make way himself for Michel Pospisil - replaced Martin Petras and Lee Wallace came on for Bruno Aguiar, while Aberdeen introduced Ferne Snoyl for Kyle MacAulay.

The latter alteration brought some improvement, and the recently signed Dutch midfielder was involved in the equaliser.

Snoyl and Kevin McNaughton combined beautifully from the edge of the penalty area, leaving the former with a shot at goal that was blocked by Gordon. The loose ball was picked up by Scott Severin on the right-hand side and his driven, low cross was turned past the Hearts goalkeeper by his captain, Pressley.

By the time Clark had his drive deflected past Gordon to seal the game with the winning goal, not even the most prejudiced Hearts supporter could have opposed the claim that victory was what Aberdeen deserved.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer