McGlynn's men prove the Real thing with performance full of pride and professionalism

Graeme Macpherson
Football Writer

THIS was an evening of redemption of sorts for Hearts.

The 5-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur a year ago not only ensured the Tynecastle club's stay in the Europa League would be a short one, but also severely stung their pride. There had been little expectation on Paulo Sergio's side to progress – the Scotland/England rivalry has been embarrassingly one-sided for some time now – but a result like that in front of their own fans was undoubtedly a bitter pill for such a proud club to swallow.

When the draw for this season's competition paired Hearts with another Barclays Premier League opponent, the sense of anticipation was diluted by a feeling of foreboding. Liverpool would bring a touch of glamour and media attention from across the world but also the potential to further damage Hearts' reputation. Another heavy home defeat was the last thing that anyone at Tynecastle needed.

They need not have worried. For Hearts were everything they failed to be against Spurs at this point last season; competitive, confident and entertaining. It would be stretching it to say they thoroughly dominated proceedings and were peppering Pepe Reina's goal with attempt after attempt, but there was a swagger to their play, in the first half especially, rarely seen from a Scottish club in Europe these days. It made the end result all the more depressing given the accomplished display that had preceded it.

Perhaps it was the all-white kit that made Hearts think they were Real Madrid. If you screwed up your eyes a bit, and took plenty of mind-bending drugs, that No.5 strolling through the midfield could have been Zinedine Zidane rather than Darren Barr. Then there was Mehdi Taouil turning tricks like Cristiano Ronaldo, Arvydas Novikovas shooting for the top corner like Raul, and even the sight of Marius Zaliukas shimmying forward out of defence as if he were the Lithuanian Fernando Hierro. It was a sight to behold.

Sergio had been criticised for being too attack-minded in that home loss to Spurs 12 months ago and the assumption was that John McGlynn, his replacement, would approach a similar challenge with a more cautious mindset. Not one bit of it. Whether it was deliberate or just the adrenaline coursing through his players' veins, Hearts set off on the front foot and never really relented in their determination to get forward throughout the match. All that was missing was a goal. In one first-half spell in particular they created a handful of chances that either crept over the crossbar or just wide of the post, and forced a number of corners.

The Hearts support, whose party songs had died in their throats last year when Spurs opened the scoring in the fifth minute, roared their approval. There are few grounds to match Tynecastle for atmosphere when the mood is right, and last night it crackled from start to finish as their heroes put in a mammoth shift. "Big team, big cup, wee team, wee cup," they sang in front of the five-time European champions, without the slightest hint of irony.

This, admittedly, was far from Liverpool at full strength. With no Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole or Andy Carroll – and Stewart Downing and Joe Allen not appearing until the second half – the Hearts fans were deprived of the opportunity of seeing the real stars of Brendan Rodgers' team, but their absence made it more of a fair fight. Charlie Adam tried to get the visitors going in midfield and Fabio Borini struck the post late in the first half when he ought to have scored, but the sluggishness of the Liverpool performance suggested Rodgers' squad may not have the depth many had previously thought. Expect the big names to return for their league match with Manchester City this weekend.

The Liverpool goal when it arrived 12 minutes from time was harsh on Hearts, although good teams often find a way through even when they are playing poorly. Martin Kelly's cross was enticing and, although Borini couldn't connect, it skidded through to Andy Webster who could do nothing to prevent it ricocheting off his shins and beyond his own goalkeeper. It was a cruel way for such a stirring performance to conclude and greatly diminishes Hearts' chances of progressing into the group phase when they travel to Anfield for the return leg next week. The Hearts fans, however, can still take great satisfaction from a night when pride was restored.

Taken from the Herald