WHEN a travelling support can almost transform a distant trek to one of Scotland's most remote football corners into a home atmosphere, you can be certain hope springs eternal for Hearts.
As Ross County turned the game on its head with two goals in a dramatic last five minutes, their players' ears were probably still ringing, less from their manager's fevered exhortations, than from the constant, raucous noise in the away end.
Some 897 Jambos had sung, chanted, bawled and tormented ex-Hibee Ivan Sproule joyously all afternoon. Even when the killer collapse ended hopes of slashing the gap on St Mirren to just six points, they burst back into fresh voice to hail their young heroes.
It was impressive, moving stuff and even home manager Derek Adams paid tribute - but much more than noise from the stands will be required to save Hearts.
"Over the 90 minutes there is only one team who deserved to win with the amount of opportunities and possession we had," Adams asserted, although opposite number Gary Locke had seen things very differently.
"That's taking nothing away from Hearts. Their supporters were fantastic - a credit to the club and a lesson for any fans in how to back their team.
"I thought we played well today. I don't know how we were 1-0 down at half-time. But I'm delighted to win against a good, young Hearts team."
The County boss would also have been delighted by the contrbution of substitute Melvin De Leeuw, a Dutchman signed this summer. De Leeuw showed good instinct in pouncing for the equaliser with a header from Richard Brittain's cross before the pair reversed roles for Brittain's stunning winner two minutes into injury-time.
It was an unbelievable finish to a right, good scrap of a football match. The visitors, fresh as daisies after a hotel stay paid for by those deep-pocketed supporters, were given an extra spring in the step by their backing. They might well have sensed blood before kick-off with County having been troubled by two home defeats to Dundee United and Partick so far this season. And County had, until yesterday, never beaten the Tynecastle side in seven previous meetings between the clubs.
Four minutes after a 19th minute Ross County penalty claim was waved away, Hearts were ahead. There seemed to be no immediate danger as Kevin McHattie crossed from deep right. But Callum Paterson caught the home rearguard unawares as he raced in to slam past Mark Brown from inside the six-yard box.
Just past the hour, Jason Holt's ball across goal bobbled in front of scorer Paterson but he lost his balance and struck wide.
County made their changes towards the closing spell, blooding De Leeuw and ex-Hearts striker Gary Glen to great effect.
Brittain's cross found De Leeuw who headed a superb leveller at the back post and County then won the match in stoppage time, De Leeuw's ball finding Brittain who angled a fine header beyond Jamie MacDonald's grasp.
"It was a sore one to take - a right kick in the teeth for us," Locke admitted. "At 1-0, I thought we looked comfortable. I couldn't really see them scoring. We let two crosses come into the box and we didn't defend them well enough and it's cost us."
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