Hearts of lions: Tynecastle side match illustrious rivals

THE Jambos came close to pulling off an unexpected result against Liverpool until the unfortunate Andy Webster turned a cross into his own net.

THEY only stopped singing once – struck dumb by a slap in the face from Lady Luck with just 13 minutes to go that made a mockery of everything that had gone before.

The Hearts fans tested the foundations of their stadium to the core and didn’t deserve to witness a defeat last night.

Their players could also have done no more against a Liverpool side that were missing some regulars but was still worth tens of millions.

The Jambos may have been terrified by Tottenham last year but it was a different story in this season’s Europa League play-off against Premiership opposition.

They battled and created chances but could not score and just when it looked like the least they would get was a 0-0 draw to take to Anfield next week, they lost the cruellest of goals.

A Martin Kelly cross into the box smashed off Andy Webster and flew behind Jamie MacDonald to give Brendan Rodgers’ men the result they came for but scarcely deserved.

Same old story for Scottish football, some might say. But this was a night that showcased our game to 42 countries around the world and most of those watching would have been left with the impression that we’re not that bad.

If that’s a victory, though, it is merely a moral one. Hearts lost and unless there is a miracle on Merseyside, the big guys will go into the group stage.

This was a night for brave hearts and cool minds.

The former was always going to be easier to attain but for John McGlynn’s men to have any chance they were going to have to harness the nervous energy that poured from the stands.

Under the floodlights on big European nights, Tynecastle is a cauldron and with Liverpool in town the place was rocking to its foundations.

The teams appeared to Hey Jude, a cue for 16,000 maroon scarves to be twirled above heads, and the 1000 Scousers behind Pepe Reina’s goal didn’t seem to mind it too much either.

The Spanish keeper is an Anfield regular but several of their big names were missing and McGlynn wouldn’t have been complaining about Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Luis Suarez and Martin Skrtel being left at home.

The Jambos boss would have been equally delighted to learn that Andy Carroll had failed a fitness test. Then again, Rodgers’ new £10.5million signing from Roma, Fabio Borini, led the line so the Anfield team still oozed quality.

Hearts went about their business with more determination than they did a year ago when they stood back and admired Spurs as they took five off them.

Ryan McGowan was reinstated to right-back as McGlynn reunited the back four that won the Scottish Cup. Behind them was MacDonald, who became a father on Wednesday.

He didn’t miss the birth of daughter Dara and he wasn’t going to miss a meeting with Liverpool either. Seven minutes in and Hearts were glad he didn’t as the keeper plunged full length to his left to turn away a powerful drive from Charlie Adam, who had been allowed to run unchallenged for 30 yards before unleashing his effort.

The Scot was being booed every time he touched the ball, which was harsh as he had spent time signing autographs for young Hearts fans before kick-off.

But his effort had the effect of galvanising the Jambos rather than intimidating them and in 10 minutes they created a chance that almost brought the house down. Mehdi Taouil twice showed marvellous close control to wheel away from diving challenges out on the right and when his flick released Arvydas Novikovas the Lithuanian didn’t need to be asked twice to have a dig.

The ball spun and swerved and was dipping under the bar before Reina got up to palm it away.

That cranked the fans up to a frenzy and when John Sutton spun away from Jamie Carragher to slam a left-foot shot just wide, they were really starting to believe they could be about to witness something special.

David Templeton didn’t disabuse them of that notion with a shot that cleared the bar but had Reina berating his defence and Rodgers on the touchline barking orders to his harassed players.

Adam was Liverpool’s most potent threat at this stage and another burst from the Scot drew a lunging foul from Darren Barr that earned the Hearts midfielder a yellow card.

The quickly taken free-kick to Raheem Sterling saw the 17-year-old winger skin McGowan and the Aussie’s heart must have been in his mouth as his desperate attempt to avert the danger saw him toe poke the ball beyond the advancing MacDonald and past the post. Just.

Sterling’s influence and confidence were growing and another cut in from the left and swerving shot was beaten away by MacDonald.

The English side had weathered a storm and cut Hearts open on the right next time – Borini playing a one-two with Jordan Henderson before darting into the box to sweep a shot just wide.

There was no let up. Liverpool survived a Templeton volley and a loud handball claim against Carragher before Taouil got out of jail.

The Moroccan tried a cross-field pass 30 yards from his own goal but Sterling whipped it off Webster’s toe and was given a free run at goal.

The kid elected to pass to Borini, who should have burst the net but smashed his shot off the post.

It was a massive let-off for the home team but their first-half display merited a stroke of good fortune.

The stadium announcer asked the Hearts fans to crank it up a notch, which was a bit like asking Prince Harry to party a bit harder.

But the Jambos did their best and their heroes were met with a wall of noise as they kicked off the second half.

Young Callum Paterson, performing superbly in a right midfield role, cracked an angled drive just over while Adam’s dig from distance fizzed wide.

It was great stuff, lacking only a goal. And a red card, which German ref Florian Meyer could easily have shown to the already-booked Barr, who handled in midfield. Thankfully, the whistler was lenient.

Stewart Downing and Joe Allen were introduced – £27m worth of talent – as Liverpool tried to add a bit of quality.

Hearts sub Andy Driver is gutted after Liverpool snatch an away goal

And it paid off, well, in the respect that they got the opening goal.

Not that the new boys had anything to do with it. In fact, the only Liverpool player who DID have anything to do with it was right back Martin Kelly, who did well to get to the byeline and deliver a cross. Thereafter, it was all about luck and Hearts had none.

The ball cannoned off Webster, seven yards out and facing his own goal. And that’s what he scored.

Taken from the Daily Record