Hearts 2 Aberdeen 0

Ryan Stevenson reckons win can spark rise up table
9 Dec 2012 00:01

THE Jambos are now seventh in the SPL and Stevenson insists the win over high-flying Aberdeen can help them build up some steam and aim for the top six.
Ryan Stevenson slots hope the opening goal from the penalty spot Ryan Stevenson slots hope the opening goal from the penalty spot

RYAN STEVENSON insists Hearts are ready to surge up the SPL table after helping sink Dons with his first goal since returning to Gorgie.

Stevenson, who rejoined Jambos in August from Ipswich, slotted home a penalty on the half hour mark but had to come off at the interval due to a head knock.

His replacement Calum Paterson notched the second after the break to kill off Aberdeen, who have still not scored against Hearts since back in January 2010.

Stevenson, whose side are now seventh in the table, said: “We have to put all the off-field stuff to one side because it has been a bit of a long, drawn saga.

“Standards have been set and it has not been good enough lately.

“Hopefully we can use today as a springboard and we can now go on a decent run.

“We have games up ahead which we’re more than capable of winning so we can climb the table.

“Things are tight so a few wins would put us right up there.

“When Marius Zaliukas missed the last penalty I was keen to give it a go and I was pleased to get my first goal since returning here. It was nice to see it go in.

“I tried to play on after getting the head knock but I was feeling groggy at half time and it was
best to come off.”

Both sides were restricted to half chances in the opening 30 minutes with keeper Jamie MacDonald
pulling off a fine diving save to foil Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes.

Ryan McGowan came closest for Hearts with a diving header from Andy Driver’s cross but it sneaked inches past the post.

The Jambos did, however, make the breakthrough in the 31st minute when Josh Magennis
tangled with McGowan after a Driver corner and ref Euan Norris pointed to the spot.

Stevenson stayed cool to send the spot-kick high into the net past the helpless Jamie Langfield.

Joy turned to frustration for Stevenson just before the interval when he came off worst in an aerial collision with Joseph Shaughnessy, with Paterson taking his place in the side for the second half.

The teenager almost made an immediate impact in 51 minutes but could only blast over the bar from a John Sutton lay-off.

Paterson got his goal just two minutes later though when a super Darren Barr pass found Gordon Smith racing away and he set up the sub to drill a low shot in off the far upright.

The shot-shy Dons never looked like clawing back the deficit.

Their woeful scoring record against Hearts is even worse at Tynecastle, where they haven’t managed to grab a goal since February 2009.

They have now gone 13 hours of football in all matches against the Gorgie men without scoring and MacDonald kept that record in tact in 69 minutes with a fine stop at the feet of Scott Vernon

Aberdeen piled on the pressure as the clock ticked down but the Jambos centre-backs Andy
Webster and skipper Zaliukas were always well in control.

Hearts boss John McGlynn said: “It was a very good response from the lads after last week’s derby defeat.

“I have been told that it was a stonewall penalty for our opening goal.”

Taken from the Daily Record