Hearts star 'shows what he's about' as fans left excited

Elton Kabangu scored twice for Hearts against Brechin. | SNS Group

Neil Critchley hailed Elton Kabangu after the striker’s double eased Hears into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup after an initial scare against Brechin City at Glebe Park.

The hosts struck first through 18-year-old substitute Scott Bright’s 25-yard screamer that went in off Craig Gordon’s left-hand post. But a goal five minutes before half-time from Jan Dhanda levelled things and Hearts struck three times in the second half to win 4-1, with Kabangu netting a double. The new signing also provided the cross from which former Hearts player Kevin McHattie scored an own goal.

“When he scores that worldie of a goal, you start to think, 'here we go',” said Critchley afterwards. “But it was a good goal from Yan too, a really good goal - they were two quality goals, I have to say, in the first half - settled us down and then we took control of the game in the second half and played better football and scored some good goals.

“It is nice for Elton, obviously, to get two good goals. And we're into the next round, which is our aim before the game tonight.

Elton Kabangu scored twice for Hearts against Brechin. | SNS Group

“It's always going to be difficult for (the first) 20-25 minutes,” the Hearts manager added. “They're full of energy, they come out flying out of traps and they can go for it and they certainly did. I think it was this round last year, it took an injury-time goal to win at Spartans. They're not easy games, these. It's not what went wrong, it was just that's sometimes how the game goes and you have to deal with those moments. Thankfully, we did.”

Critchley praised Kabangu, who struck his first Hearts goals since joining on-loan from Union SG in Belgium. “Elton showed what he’s about,” he said. “He’s a finisher around the goal and inside the penalty area.

“He will bring energy and plenty of enthusiasm and endeavour at the top end of the pitch. He’s hard to handle for 90 minutes. He’s got good balance between speed and endurance so he can keep running for long periods and that means it’s hard for defenders to keep him quiet.

“I’m sure the fans are excited by what they’ve seen of him tonight. And coming on against Aberdeen (on Sunday) I thought he made a difference as well.

“The start for him has been positive. But he’s not played a lot of football for a period and it will take him time to adapt to the style of play and his new teammates. Even this week we’ve been showing him. Different things like how we defend, it’s different from his last club. And where the runs and what we want him to do in attack. He has a lot to think about and we don’t want to overload him. We want him to relax into our environment and hopefully he will flourish.”

Brechin manager Patrick Cregg felt his side had “shaded” the first half, when they also lost skipper Euan Spark who injured himself while fouling Kabangu in what was a crude challenge by the near touchline. Spark was replaced by Bright, who duly struck the opener six minutes later in thrilling fashion.

“it would have been a fair reflection if we had gone in 1-0 at half-time," said Cregg. But ultimately Yan Dhanda has that quality in his locker when he cuts in for the equaliser.

“Their second goal coming so early in the second half got them into a rhythm when we had got them out of their comfort zone. It was a big moment in the game and football is decided by moments.We had belief at half-time that we could win, but as the game went on they took over and they were the better team.”

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley. | SNS Group

The manager revealed Spark had sustained a suspected dislocated shoulder. “I thought he was outstanding before coming off,” he said. “Brad McKay has played for Hearts and played at a high level as well, he was outstanding, but all of them were outstanding.”

As for teenager Bright, whose goal ignited the tie, Cregg challenged the teenager to use scoring live on television as a springboard for his career. “Scott has aspirations to go on and achieve in the game and it’s up to him in terms of his mentality and the drive to get in St Johnstone’s first team,” said the Irishman.

“He doesn’t want to be playing at this level and it’s up to him. The strike is a great thing to look back at it and really for him it’s about going and chasing his dream.

“Scott’s a crisp passer, I coached him when he was 13 so I’ve known him a long time. He needs to hold himself to a high standard of playing in the Premiership and not the level we’re at.”