AFTER this wonderful, utterly captivating and hugely entertaining match, one manager was left with some new and much-needed hope while the other had to explain why the same old problems continue to badly cost his team.
Ian Cathro needed this win. He needed to see his players return to the high tempo football which served them so well for the past few seasons. Hearts had to make Tynecastle rock once again. This all happened and them some.
As for Mark Warburton, dearie me. It was the same mistakes by the same players in the same areas. Really, how many times can he watch all of this happening right in front of his eyes before he does something about it?
This was another goinAn angry Mark Warburton calls his Rangers players ""unacceptable" as Hearts enjoy best win in 21 yearsg over in Gorgie for the Ibrox men on a night which just might get things going for Cathro at Hearts.
It is fair to say there is a growing concern among the Rangers supporters whether the man they unquestionably like is the one to take them to the next level.
Games between these two in the capital have tended to be classics, certainly in terms of sheer excitement and some good old-fashioned chaos. From the very start this one did not disappoint.
Just three minutes had gone when Clint Hill was penalised for indulging in some wrestling with Esmael Goncalves, making his Hearts debut two days after signing. The resultant free-kick was taken quickly by Don Cowie while Rangers slept which allowed Andraz Struna time and space on the right he should never have been afforded.
His cross was good, the marking of a usual standard, and Krystan Nowak leapt highest to plant a header in past Wes Foderingham.
If the Rangers goalkeeper could do nothing about that, it was his fault a second could have been conceded a minute later when, wait for it, unconvincing play at the back meant a Hill pass-back put Foderingham needlessly in trouble.
He slipped when trying to get himself out of bother, Goncalves got on the loose ball but it wasn’t quite loose enough for Hearts to take advantage.
A Perry Kitchen set-piece fizzed awkwardly across the Rangers goal and then Maluary Martin’s free-kick from just outside the penalty area was curled around the wall and just past the post. This was all in the first eight minutes.
Rangers awoke from their slumber on the quarter hour mark when Martyn Waghorn made Jack Hamilton in the Hearts goal do a bit of work. However, it was all about Hearts in these opening exchanges but they failed to turn all their possession, much of it gifted to them by a variety of Rangers players, into a second goal.
Slowly but surely Rangers got themselves into it. Barrie McKay’s shot from outside of the box only just drifted wide and would have brought a spectacular 29th minute equaliser, and then Hill headed a corner over when he perhaps should have at least found his target.
Emerson Hyndman did just that on 36 minutes.
A James Tavernier corner into the Hearts six yard box was not dealt with well; keeper Hamilton rather pawing at the ball. The sort-of clearance fell to Hyndman who showed great technique to get his shot first time and find the net through a crowd from distance.
Rangers ended the half by far the stronger team. A messy passage of play inside the Hearts box, lots of blocking, kicking and tackling, ended with Hyndman getting off a shot which Hamilton somehow kept out just before the break
Could the second-half live up to the first 45? Yes was the unequivocal answer, although this time it was all one way.
History repeated itself as Hearts scored three minutes into the action. Once again Rangers were the architects of their own downfall.
Tavernier caught a cross and quickly threw the ball to Andy Halliday just outside the area. Jamie Walker was on the Rangers man right away and not only won the tackle but was on his feet in flash before producing a low finish which found the bottom corner.
And remember when Rangers were done by a quick free-kick for the first? It happened again on 53 minutes, the visitors committed far too many fouls, as those in blue stopped while the team wearing maroon didn’t feel the need to wait for their opponents to get ready.
The impressive Bjorn Johnsen sped down the left, got past Tavernier and judged his low cross to Cowie at the back post to perfect. It was 4-1 on 61 minutes.
A Cowie cross saw Johnsen jumping with Foderingham, the ball fell free and Walker was on hand to slot home his second of the night.
Rangers thought they had scored but substitute Harry Forester was offside when he touched the ball home from close range after fellow Jason Holt forced Hamilton into a save he couldn’t hold.
Then Foderingham made two superb saves, once from Walker the other a 30-yard screamer by Lennard Sowah. Rangers did well to get away with only the four conceded.
It wasn’t Warburton’s night. It belonged to Cathro who looked as if he was about to burst into tears at the end
Hearts: (4-2-3-1) Hamilton; Struna, Nowak (Avlontis 71), Hughes, Sowah; Cowie, Kitchen; Walker, Martin (Tziolis 54) Goncalves; Johnsen
Substitutes not used: Noring, Smith, Beith, Nicholson, Choulay
Rangers: (4-3-3) Foderingham; Tavernier, Hill, Kiernan, Wallace; Halliday, Toral (Holt 71), Hyndman (Windass 60); Waghorn (Forrester 60), Miller, McKay
Substitutes not used: Alnwick, Hodson, Senderos, Dodoo
Scorers
Hearts: Nowak 3, Walker 48, 61 Cowie 53
Rangers: Hyndman 36
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