Hearts 0 Liverpool 1: Andy Webster's late own goal is cruel

Chief football writer

Friday 24 August 2012

HEARTS thought they knew all about football's capacity for cruelty after what Tottenham Hotspur subjected them to a year ago, but no.

Andy Webster can only direct Martin Kelly's teasing cross past Jamie MacDonald under duress from Fabio Borini. Picture: SNS

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Michael Grant

A new misery was heaped on them last night. Just when they were closing in on a proud result, having put in an exhausting shift to take themselves within minutes of an admirable goalless draw, they were undone by an own goal. Andy Webster could not remove himself from the path of a firm Martin Kelly cross into the goalmouth and the ball flashed off him into Jamie MacDonald's net. As the stadium's public address announcer said, when mournfully detailing the strike, "you couldn't make it up".

That awful, puncturing moment came just 13 minutes from time and it pickpocketed Hearts. Until then Tynecastle had been electrified by a performance which did much to wash away the stain of what happened a year ago. The memory of losing 5-0 to Tottenham had inhibited them in the build-up to this Europa League play-off first leg. Minute-by-minute, as they grew into the game and coped with any attacks, their play became more forceful and the racket from the stands more noisy, excited and even cheeky. Eventually they dared to taunt the visiting support a little. Webster's misfortune silenced them only briefly. They hugely appreciated what their team put into a pulsating spectacle and weren't slow to let them know about it. Anfield could be another matter entirely and Liverpool are likely to select a stronger team there than they did here, but Hearts achieved what they set out to last night. This was no repeat of Tottenham. Goals had flown past them in the fifth, 13th and 28th minute in a suicidal opening that night, and there was none of that in a far more disciplined effort here. There were slips and moments of carelessness, but overall Hearts maintained a hugely admirable tempo and work-rate. There were plenty of fans melting into the Gorgie night afterwards, willing to argue their team even deserved a win, let alone what they actually ended up with. Of course, the Tottenham of a year ago and the Liverpool of last night were entirely different propositions. Spurs played virtually their full team. Liverpool felt they could do without Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, and only four survived from the side which started the Barclays Premier League season for them last weekend. The team they did select had half-a-dozen players of 23 or younger. Kelly, 22, and Jack Robinson, 18, were the full-backs. Jordan Henderson, 22, Jay Spearing, 23, Jonjo Shelvey, 20, and Raheem Sterling, 17, were across the middle. Striker Fabio Borini may have cost them £10m but he's still a lad of just 21. There was still plenty of expensive talent on the park but the heaviest artillery was spared for Manchester City on Sunday. Liverpool wore black. Hearts were in white, but rather that than another sight of the white flag they collectively raised in their last European tie. Only five of the team embarrassed that night started again here. More significant than the altered personnel was the change of attitude. Where Tottenham were admired from a respectful distance, Liverpool were confronted, challenged and harassed. Hearts flatly refused to let them settle or establish control. It was a stirring drama and Hearts' contribution was enormous. From the start, when John Sutton almost got a sniff from a short Jamie Carragher passback, they were in Liverpool's faces. Arvydas Novikovas smacked a terrific shot which Pepe Reina had to push away at the top corner. Sutton tried a shot, David Templeton had a couple, and there was an appeal for a penalty when the ball struck Carragher, although the German referee agreed with him that it had hit his side. Tynecastle lapped it up. They rode their luck too. When they allowed Charlie Adam far too much room he ran at them and, backing off, the defence allowed him to unload a low shot which forced MacDonald to save. Worse was the carelessness by Mehdi Taouil, whose long crossfield pass was stolen off Marius Zaliukas' toes by Sterling. The 17-year-old is a speed merchant and Hearts were hopelessly exposed, but he squared for Borini and the Italian internationalist somehow hit the post rather than the net. Sterling was a livewire and Adam threatened to orchestrate Liverpool's attacks but their play as a whole was unexceptional. Their strength, athleticism and speed was simply to be expected from a leading English club, and Hearts' passion and tempo allowed them to cope. Sutton and Templeton bothered them and Callum Paterson and Ryan McGowan were powerful on Hearts' right. The shape was 4-2-3-1. John McGlynn couldn't be accused of failing to have a go. When Hearts attacked they did so with plenty of supporting runners. The second half followed the pattern of the first. Paterson rifled an effort over the bar, Novikovas did the same, and Andrew Driver couldn't bury a late chance to equalise. But only Webster was on target. For days they'd imagined Gerrard, Suarez or Carroll doing them harm, but never one of their own. Cruel.

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Hearts 0 Liverpool 1: Andy Webster's late own goal is cruel

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