Lack of firepower consigns Jambos to Scottish Cup exit

Published Date: 09 January 2010
By BARRY ANDERSON
AT PITTODRIE
HEARTS exited the Scottish Cup at the first hurdle as Darren Mackie and Lee Miller dispatched second half goals to propel Aberdeen into the fifth round of the competition.

A lacklustre display from the Edinburgh side again betrayed their need for attacking reinforcements, although manager Csaba Laszlo will derive some small consolation from the performance of 19-year-old debutant Rocky Visconte at left-back.

Aberdeen, after a decent first half, increased the tempo of their play after the interval and reaped just rewards for doing so. Mackie converted into an open net on the hour and Miller did likewise 14 minutes from full-time after a precise cross from substitute Chris Maguire.

This was one of only five Scottish Cup ties given the go-ahead today as Siberian temperatures wreaked havoc with the tournament's fourth round. Aberdeen, by comparison to the central belt, was positively tropical at two degrees centigrade at kick-off and the Pittodrie pitch looked well preened given the recent inclement weather.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo conducted three changes from the side which drew 1-1 at Easter Road last Sunday, two of them enforced. Lee Wallace and Ruben Palazuelos were precluded by a heel injury and suspension respectively, while Christian Nade was dropped in favour of Scott Robinson. That ensured Hearts began with a teenage attack comprising 17-year-old Robinson and 18-year-old Gordon Smith. There was also a first-team debut for Australian Visconte, who normally plays left midfield but deputised for Wallace at left-back.

Aberdeen were only marginally less makeshift with Derek Young at right-back and Jerel Ifil and Charlie Mulgrew in central defence. Maurice Ross, a Hearts transfer target last summer, began at left-back.

The visitors set off at high tempo and used their enthusiastic young forwards to good effect. Robinson's movement in and around the inside right channel was particularly troublesome, although the first genuine chance of the opening period fell to Miller. He dispossessed a dithering Marius Zaliukas on 17 minutes and attempted to chip goalkeeper Marian Kello, only for the ball to float over the Slovakian's crossbar.

Kello rescued Hearts on 35 minutes with a stupefying stop from Mackie. The striker rose to power a vicious header from Young's cross and the ball appeared destined for the net until Kello intervened. His reactions were instinctive in jutting out a left palm, the ball rebounded to the onrushing Fraser Fyvie but his attempt at goal rolled harmlessly wide.

The first half concluded with Aberdeen in command. Zaliukas and Ismael Bouzid seemed strangely incohesive in central defence and were unsettled by the hosts' continual probing. Visconte's assured display compensated somewhat and there was no argument that he was Hearts' best defender with Marius Cinikas again looking out of his depth.

Aberdeen restarted in the same vein and pressed their guests backwards towards their own 18-yard line. When Ross scampered forward to cross for Mackie on 57 minutes, the striker squandered the game's clearest opening thus far despite being unmarked from around six yards. Moments later, he atoned. Peter Pawlett delivered an expert reverse pass for Miller to sprint in behind the Hearts defence. He prodded the ball past the advancing Kello for Mackie to touch into an empty net. Kello and his defenders appealed for offside, but referee Steve Conroy awarded the goal.

Maguire's glancing header from Fyvie's free-kick was touched wide by Kello on 72 minutes, the Hearts goalkeeper marking himself out as one of his side's most inspiring figures. He confidently held another attempt, this time from Maguire's left foot, as Aberdeen's superiority hinted that a second goal was imminent. It arrived in the 76th minute.
Maguire's right-sided cross evaded the entire visiting defence and Miller, granted an astonishing amount of space, converted calmly at the back post.

Visconte's 20-yard drive stung the fingertips of Jamie Langfield, and substitute Christian Nade had a similar effort touched over the crossbar by the Aberdeen goalkeeper. Those attempts formed part of a late rally by Hearts but, by then, the damage was conclusive.

Aberdeen (4-4-2): Langfield; Young, Ifil, Mulgrew, Ross; Pawlett, Kerr, Fyvie, Marshall; Miller, Mackie. Subs: Nelson, Maguire 67 (for Marshall), Paton, Crawford, Jack.

Hearts (4-4-2): Kello; Cinikas, Bouzid, Zaliukas, Visconte; Suso, Jonsson, Stewart, Black; Smith, Robinson. Subs: Balogh, Obua 78 (for Robinson), Nade 66 (for Smith), Templeton 66 (for Suso), Balatoni.

Referee: Steve Conroy.

Attendance: 8226.

Taken from the Scotsman