Christmas tree is safe: Hearts protests put on backburner as heroic intervention prevents unwelcome ending

Hearts start new year in style after dismal end to 2024

Hearts eased some of the pressure that had been building on manager Neil Critchley and the board of directors by kicking off the new year with a deserved 1-0 victory over Motherwell at Tynecastle.

A planned pre-match protest did not amount to much as around 150 fans answered a social media call to gather outside the stadium's main entrance before kick-off, but apart from a brief chant of “sack the board” that quickly fizzled out, the atmosphere was more subdued than hostile.

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But for the presence of additional stewards and crash barriers - even the Christmas tree on the Foundation Plaza had a ring of steel around it - you would be hard pushed to notice that a protest was even taking place. There was little evidence of animosity inside the ground either although things may have been different but for two Craig Gordon wonder saves in stoppage time that made up for his part in the late horror show in Dingwall on Sunday.

Hearts fans gathered in small numbers to protest outside the stadium ahead of the William Hill Premiership match against Motherwell. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)Hearts fans gathered in small numbers to protest outside the stadium ahead of the William Hill Premiership match against Motherwell. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)
Hearts fans gathered in small numbers to protest outside the stadium ahead of the William Hill Premiership match against Motherwell. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group

There was no doubting the anger felt among Hearts supporters after a dismal end to 2024 that saw a home defeat to Hibs in the Edinburgh derby followed by the loss of two injury-time goals to chuck away a victory at Ross County. Not to mention the embarrassment suffered in Europe at the hands of Moldovan minnows Petrocub.

This performance suggests better things to come in 2025 as the home side utterly dominated a Motherwell outfit who had been expected to provide a stern challenge on the back of claiming an impressive point against Rangers four days earlier. It certainly lifted spirits among the 18,715 crowd inside Tynecastle with the recent poor run not preventing a healthy turnout.

The only exasperation among the home support was over the failure to add to Musa Drammeh's seventh minute opener. Referee Calum Scott curtailed the celebrations when he initially blew for a foul on Motherwell goalkeeper Aston Oxborough as the Spaniard tapped home a Blair Spittal corner from close range, but a visit to the VAR monitor prompted a change of heart and the goal was allowed to stand.

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Hearts proceeded to miss a number of chances to extend their lead - a 3-0 or 4-0 scoreline would not have flattered them - with the midfield and front players linking well but unable to provide the killer touch. New signing Elton Kabangu missed out - the paperwork on the Belgian striker’s loan from Union Saint-Gilloise not completed in time - but 17-year-old James Wilson continued to belie his years by leading the line superbly, ably supported by Drammeh and Liam Boyce.

Jorge Grant, who like Boyce has barely featured under Critchley until now, was a prominent figure in the middle of the park and was unfortunate when a curling effort from 20 yards crashed back off the crossbar. Shunned in the past, both players showed they still have something to offer.

Hearts forward Musa Drammeh celebrates scoring to make it 1-0 over Motherwell at Tynecastle Park.  (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)Hearts forward Musa Drammeh celebrates scoring to make it 1-0 over Motherwell at Tynecastle Park.  (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)
Hearts forward Musa Drammeh celebrates scoring to make it 1-0 over Motherwell at Tynecastle Park. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group

It would be disingenuous to say Hearts looked a better team without Lawrence Shankland but they do not appear to be missing their injured captain as much as they might have done last season.

It was the stand-in skipper who stepped up in stoppage time. Gordon's first save to paw away a close-range effort from Moses Ebiye was good enough. His second to keep out substitute Jack Vale's point-blank header from the resultant corner was the Scotland goalkeeper at his very best, showing remarkable reflexes to leave the Blackburn Rovers loanee with his head in his hands.

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Had that gone in one can only imagine how Tynecastle would have reacted. But such is the fickle nature of football that Hearts fans left the ground feeling positive about their team again with talk of protests parked, for now at least.

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