Teenage striker grabs second goal in two games to keep season alive

By STUART BATHGATE
Hearts 1 Glen 80
Inverness CT 0
HAVING failed for the first time to make the top six, Hearts might have been expected to indulge in self-pity and allow their season to fizzle out in a series of undistinguished displays. Instead, self-discipline and professionalism have been the key characteristics of their last two victories, and they can now wrap up seventh place in the SPL if they win at Falkirk a week today.

Granted, the Tynecastle club's superior resources mean they should finish some way above those teams they are currently meeting, and ending up seventh is no cause for celebration. In context, though, their performances have been commendable, all the more so on Saturday given the youth of their squad, eight of whom were under 21.

Of that octet, the most important was Gary Glen, who grabbed a goal just as it looked like Caley Thistle would hold on for a point. It is far too early in the 18-year-old's career for an accurate forecast of how far he could progress, but a record of two goals from two starts is at least a promising beginning.

As if as a reminder to Glen that he faces competition from even younger team-mates, Hearts replaced him in the final minute of the game with Scott Robinson, who at 16 years one month and 14 days was hailed by the stadium announcer as the youngest player to have represented the club at senior level. This depends, however, on your definition of senior football: David Bowman in 1979 and Glen himself two years ago were both younger than Robinson when they played in the East of Scotland Shield, and although in recent years both Hearts and Hibs have turned out second strings in that competition, back in Bowman's day it was still accorded first-team status.

In any case, it is surely wise not to expect too much of Robinson's precocity. That much can be gleaned from the playing record of the man he displaced as youngest Hearts player in one of Scottish football's three main competitions. As recorded on the exhaustive yet engrossing website www.londonhearts.com, Alan Redpath was 16 years and not yet three months when he made his debut in the League Cup in 1983. He played once more – ending up on the winning side in both matches – then promptly disappears from the annals.

While Hearts chairman Roman Romanov recently suggested that five or six high earners could be released in the summer as the club looked to a younger generation, caretaker manager Stephen Frail said after this game that he could not expect such a youthful squad to shoulder the burden of a full league campaign.

"It would be very difficult to go into the SPL next season with such an inexperienced side," Frail stated. "Even if that is the situation (with players leaving] we'd still be looking to bring in experienced players."

Glen was one of several Hearts players who should have done better with scoring chances in the first half. Christos Karipidis had a header saved by Michael Fraser then crashed another off the bar, and then Glen blasted over after a poor first touch from a Jason Thomson cross. Deividas Cesnauskis had the best chance of the opening half, but miscued completely from a Glen cutback, and in the five minutes or so before the break Caley Thistle almost punished such profligacy when Steve Banks had to produce a string of saves to deny Don Cowie, Richard Hastings and Dennis Wyness.

Lee Wallace came on to the left wing in place of Cesnauskis six minutes into the second half, but on several occasions was let down by his lack of pace after the Caley defence appeared to have been overstretched. Then, with the breakthrough still to come, Frail made a second change, one which baffled and produced boos from the home support – Marius Zaliukas for Calum Elliot. The striker had a quiet day, but that appeared no reason to replace him with a centre-back while the game was still to be won. But there was method in Frail's apparent madness. Zaliukas took up Elliot's advanced position, and used his height to win a couple of high balls and produce knockdowns for Glen.

He was involved in the build-up to the goal as well, though Glen should be credited as the main creator as well as the scorer. Advancing into the penalty box on the right, the teenager played a one-two with Ruben Palazuelos who was in an advanced position on his left. Two touches on the return ball took him past the Inverness centre-backs, and he then calmly shot low past Fraser.

Caley Thistle had little to offer after that, and in contrast to Hearts looked like a side who cannot wait for the season to end. The run of good form which once saw them challenging for fourth place is no more than a distant memory now, and they are surely in need of an overhaul in the summer if they are not to be in relegation trouble next year.

Man of the match

Gary Glen (Hearts)

Making only his second starting appearance, the teenaged striker again showed considerable promise, running intelligently off the ball and scoring the only goal at a stage where some other strikers would have given up hope.

Taken from the Scotsman