Hearts 2
(Paterson 69 Johnsen 89)
Dundee 0
IN A week which saw Hearts’ plans for a new main stand get the go-ahead, Robbie Neilson’s 100th match as head coach provided further proof that the Edinburgh club are building on firm foundations on the pitch as well as off. There was little between the sides for much of the game, but in the end the home team were rewarded for their persistence, and Neilson for his judicious substitutions, with two goals that sent Dundee to the bottom of the Premiership table.
The three points were also enough to return Hearts to third, the position in which they finished last season and which they now look more than capable of claiming again. They remain just a point behind Aberdeen.
Given the fact that Dundee hit the woodwork four times, it could be said that Hearts were lucky to win, but that is tantamount to saying they were lucky not to be playing against a better side with more accurate strikers. At this level, teams often have to create a handful of chances before converting, and if strikers always found the net rather than hitting the post, they would be playing elsewhere on an altogether higher salary.
It was someone who will in time be playing at a higher level, Callum Paterson, who gave Hearts the breakthrough 20 minutes from time when he headed home a free-kick from substitute Robbie Muirhead. Dundee had their chances to equalise, notably a Yordi Teijsse header five minutes from time that went wide when it looked easier to hit the target.
A few minutes after that, another Hearts replacement, Bjorn Johnsen, wrapped up the points when he turned in a low cross from Jamie Walker. It was the American-born striker’s first goal since joining in July, and he admitted that in recent weeks he had been putting himself under increasing pressure to break his duck.
“It’s always a relief for a striker to get his first goal,” he said. “It takes the pressure off and makes you not think as much. That was a big moment for me and for my family - they’ve been pushing me to relax, stay calm and not stress myself.
“It’s not the only ones I can score,” Johnsen continued when asked if he saw himself as a six-yard-box predator. “I would like to say I’m a box striker, from 30 yards out - that’s where I do my work. When you’re stressing as a striker and trying to get your first goal those little crummy goals are the ones you need to get before you can get some nice goals.”
Given Prince Buaben, Hearts’ third sub, also assisted in the build-up to the second goal, Neilson’s replacement strategy was thoroughly vindicated, even if his decision to take off Tony Watt for Muirhead was booed by some of the home support. Johnsen suggested that those fans should appreciate the need to make prepare use of the bench.
“A lot of teams don’t have a squad of 20 guys. I think they have to understand that none of us are angry about being on the bench - we’re all ready to play and whoever comes in is going to be playing on full throttle.
“They have to understand that if someone drops out, it’s not the end of the world. Someone can come in and help out. I think that’s the real reason they need to relax a little bit and see the whole team.”
While Watt and his striking partner Conor Sammon may not be scoring as many goals as they would like, the energetic Johnsen does not look ready to replace either of them for an extended period. Muirhead has been more effective in his appearances to date, although his versatility could continue to make him a more obvious substitute than a member of the starting 11. Even so, those two forwards and others are likely to get more chances in the coming months given the absence of Sam Nicholson, who has undergone knee surgery and may not be back until after the winter break, according to his coach.
Hearts themselves now have a short break before visiting Kilmarnock on Wednesday week, while Dundee visit St Johnstone on Sunday in a match which has added significance given their league position. They are only bottom on goal difference, and there is little to choose between themselves and the half-dozen teams above them, but being bottom brings its own pressure.
“As long as we keep our heads up and keep working hard I’m sure things will turn around for us,” midfielder Tom Hateley insisted. “We’ve gone from not creating much in the last couple of weeks, as much as we would have liked, to creating a lot of opportunities at a difficult venue [on Saturday]. I feel the result was harsh on us, but if we keep working hard and creating these chances then inevitably they’ll start hitting the post and going in, or even just going in. That would be nice.
“It’s obviously disappointing [to be bottom], but it’s still early days and there’s a long way to go. We’ve had a tough run of games recently and, especially against Hearts, we felt we should have had more.
“I’m more than confident eventually we’ll turn things around. If we keep performing like that and hopefully turn these chances into goals I’ve no worries we’ll be on our way up the table soon.”
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