HEARTS’ inevitable procession
to the Championship title should be an emphatic march to glory, given their undeniable squad depth, top-flight pedigree
and attacking quality.
Instead, it is becoming a rather
unsatisfying slog, certainly in the eyes of disgruntled fans who – unable to take their place in the stadium – vented their spleens online after a second successive draw.
Recent weeks have seen
underwhelming 1-0 victories over Dunfermline and Ayr,
followed by a dismal 1-1 draw against Queen of the South. Patience has been tested. This was little better.
It ultimately required Jamie Walker’s 50th goal for the club to bail them out after Craig McGuffie gave gutsy Morton the lead.
The draw, meanwhile, allowed Dunfermline to cut the gap at the summit to 11 points.
“We only have ourselves to blame,” said boss Robbie
Neilson, who watched the encounter unfold from the Wheatfield Stand as he served the first a two-match touchline ban.
“Football is about putting the ball in the net and we didn’t do it and then we fell behind. So we need to be better – and we know that.”
Defender Mihai Popescu was the worst culprit, somehow firing over the bar from six yards after being teed up by Gary Mackay-Steven.
Aaron McEneff, Michael Smith, Stephen Kingsley and Andy Halliday all fluffed their lines when presented with passable opportunities to break the deadlock before a neat back-heel from Liam Boyce looped onto the top of the cross-bar.
However, 10 minutes into the second half Morton landed a shuddering sucker-punch when McGuffie fired home a clinical low drive from 18 yards.
Hearts, in need of inspiration, found it among their embarrassment of riches on the bench. Armand Gnanduillet surged down the left flank and produced a pin-point cross for fellow second-half substitute Walker, whose powerful header left Aidan McAdams clawing at thin air.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here