Hearts debrief: Key man's absence felt, goal controversy, Lawrence Shankland steps up again

Jambos battle back from 2-0 down to earn draw against Ross County

Hearts turned in their poorest performance of the festive period but still managed to salvage a point thanks to another late Lawrence Shankland strike. And, thanks to results elsewhere, it leaves them sitting third in the Premiership table as they head into 2024.

Neither Gorgie boss Steven Naismith nor his Ross County counterpart Derek Adams left Tynecastle happy with a share of the spoils, though, with both men questioning the officiating – in person and VAR. But, while the home boss recognised the dip in standards, which contributed to the dropped points, the Highland boss described his men’s performance as “fantastic”.

The better team in the first half, they could not convert that advantage into goals until after the interval. Interestingly, Hearts were actually giving a better account of themselves in general play by then but an Alex Cochrane own goal, under pressure from Josh Sims, and then a superbly-clinical freekick from Yan Dhanda gave them a 2-0 lead.

Hearts' Alan Forrest goes down in the box before being shown a yellow card for diving in the 2-2 draw with Ross County. His manager was adamant it should have been a penalty. Photo by Roddy Scott / SNS Group

It could and should have been more but Ben Purrington’s second-minute goal was chalked off after the officials spotted an offside in the build-up. More chances came their way but wayward finishing cost them while Hearts keeper Zander Clark picked up where he left off in Wednesday’s derby win and produced a couple of meaningful diving saves from Simon Murray and then Sims.

The Highland side, who will see in the bells in 11th spot in the league, would rue their inability to make more of the openings that came their way as first second half substitute Kenny Vargas and then Shankland found a way through to claw back the deficit in the final 20 minutes and ensure a draw. But if Ross County missed chances, Hearts missed significant players from their starting line-up, with Beni Baningime’s absence in the middle of the park, to give him a rest, keenly felt. Without him, the backline was more exposed and the capital side lacked a calmness and cohesion as they struggled to link back with front with any kind of potency.

Alan Forrest, who has been one of the side’s better attacking options in recent games, was left on the bench and those who had been given the nod like Kyosuke Tagawa looked lost as play whirred around them, and Alex Lowry and Aidan Denholm, struggled to find the right gear or the right rhythm despite instructions from the technical area and Shankland’s attempts to offer on-field guidance.

The last game before Australians Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson jet off to join the Socceroos for the Asian Cup, the latter thought he had won a penalty 30 minutes in, when he got his leg infront of his marker before the pair toppled to the turf. The referee gave the foul against the man in maroon, though much to Naismith fury. But there was an even more contentious penalty snub early in the second half after Forrest had joined the fray, along with Yutaro Oda, and he was played through into the box only to stumble to the deck. It looked like the County keeper had clipped him but referee Alan Muir not only ignored the penalty appeals, he chose to book him for diving, rubbing salt in the wounds.

Had either of those spot-kicks been awarded and converted the game may have gone differently but instead it was the guests who were able to open up their lead. Naismith responded to that setback by shifting things around further. Cochrane made an impact in the middle of the park, while Forrest and Stephen Kingsley gave County more to think about down their right flank and the pace and more direct play provided by Oda and Kenny Vargas was a positive. It was the Costa Rican who fired in his second goal of the season – an angled drive – to kickstart the comeback. But, in an all too familiar storyline, it was Shankland who weighed in – scoring in his fifth successive game – to secure a share of the spoils.

However, there was a hint of controversy to that goal. Despite later claiming that the confusion probably played no part in the equaliser, Adams was apoplectic on the sidelines after he was denied the chance to complete the second half of a double substitution in the build up to the goal. Apparently told that his player had not been ready to come on, and with a full complement still on the pitch, Muir resumed play only for Shankland to pop up and stoke the anger already bubbling over in the away technical area.

Had it been a Hearts winner, Adams may have been justified in his sense of injustice, as his men merited something for their toils, but on a day when both sides had chances to win it, a draw was probably the fairest outcome.