THE unusual goal celebration that Uche Ikpeazu carried out after netting a second-half equaliser for Hearts against Hibernian this afternoon is borrowed from the American basketball great LeBron James and is known as The Silencer.
His manager Craig Levein could, given the immense pressure he has personally been under in recent days, have been forgiven for performing a few of the same moves after his team had come from behind to win the opening Edinburgh derby of the season at Easter Road in thrilling fashion.
Yet, given that the triumph, secured when Aaron Hickey netted a deflected strike with six minutes of regulation time remaining, had muted, for the time being at least, the calls for him to be sacked he had no need.
The Tynecastle side will need to follow up this richly-deserved victory with more wins in the coming weeks – starting against Aberdeen in Gorgie in the Betfred Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night – in order to keep the baying hordes off his back.
This result will certainly buy him time. But if Christophe Berra and his team mates revert to performing like they did in their opening five Ladbrokes Premiership games, when they failed to register a single win, it won’t take long for the chants and protests to return.
Levein, though, was buoyed by the fightback and is hopeful it will be a major turning point in what has been a difficult campaign. With Michael Smith returning yesterday and Peter Haring, Ben Garuccio, John Souttar and Jamie Walker all making good progress in their recoveries from their various injuries he is confident better times lie ahead.
“We have a hugely difficult game on Wednesday night against Aberdeen and I’m sure this result and performance will help us in that match,” he said. “I think the players’ desire to show they are better than they have been up to now was the biggest thing in our favour today.’
“I was happy that we won and put on a performance that our fans have some sort of feeling and association with. They want us to try our hardest not just in the derby match but every match.
“But this game in particular requires us to really roll up the sleeves and have a go and compete and that will help us win back some of the fans who have been a little bit disgruntled but we need to do much more so it’s a starting point.
“All credit to the supporters because in all honesty we haven’t given them enough days like these this season so far so we need to do better.”
Hearts responded brilliantly to falling behind to an impressive 25 yard howitzer from Stevie Mallan early in the second-half. They deserved to draw level when Ikpeazu bundled the ball over the line in the 70th minute. The fact that Hickey bagged his first goal in senior football to win it made the win all the sweeter.
“Young Aaron who had another smashing game and managed to score the winner in an Edinburgh derby with the numbers five and one on his back,” said Levein. “Not bad at all.”
Hearts fans started calling for Levein to be sacked after Mallan had put the home side in front. But it was their Hibs counterparts who were baying for the head of their manager Paul Heckingbottom after the final whistle. His opposite number could sympathise after what he has been through this term.
“It’s a horrible business,” he said. “It’s difficult for all of us, but you’ve got to handle that pressure that comes with the job so I’ve got empathy with every guy who has been brave enough to sit in the manager’s chair and take the heat.”
Ikpeazu, the 6ft 3in forward who was immense for Hearts throughout the 90 minutes, has felt for Levein during this difficult spell. But the Englishman is optimistic the outcome of the derby game has lifted the mood in the dressing room.
“Sometimes you just need one win and that’s it,” he said. “You know football. Sometimes it does not happen for one reason or another. It is a massive win like I said and hopefully we can kick on.
“We have gone over the games, it’s mistakes that have cost us. Giving the ball away, missing headers, stuff like that. It has been a catalogue of errors. That is what the manager has asked of us as individuals – to cut out the errors.
“He has just tried to encourage us. He has been brilliant to be fair. The gaffer is the same win, lose or draw – he tells us to keep going. We need to do better. It starts today.”
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