Stuffy Sons end Hearts’ winning run

Dumbartons Andy Graham slides in to tackle Billy King. Picture: SNS

Dumbarton 0-0 Hearts

Manager Robbie Neilson said after their 4-0 demolition of Raith Rovers last month to judge them once they had played ten games in the league. Now they are halfway to that checkpoint, the fact that they lead Rangers by a point at the top, are unbeaten and have defeated three of their biggest promotion rivals does at least suggest that Hearts are in fine fettle.

All teams striving for promotion will have an off day, and in a match in which players like Billy King, James Keatings, Jason Holt and Osman Sow were all under par, Dumbarton merely had to play to their well-organised plan to keep out Hearts. It was not thrilling, but always intriguing, and all credit to the part-timers for lasting out the full 93 minutes with their goal unbreached.

“Overall, there was not too much between the teams,” said Dumbarton manager Ian Murray afterwards, but, in truth, Hearts had the better players and should have won, even against a defence as tough as that of the Sons of the Rock.

Neilson acknowledged that it was Hearts’ job to break down a tough defence.

“It was never going to be easy here,” said Neilson. “They sit back, make it hard for you to penetrate in the right areas, and we didn’t do enough to break them down today. We’ll aim for a win next week and get back on track.”

That being said, only the width of the crossbar kept Sam Nicholson from scoring what would have been an injury-time winner and, on the balance of possession and play, Hearts will perhaps feel they did enough to earn the victory.

Dumbarton, however, would point to how little Hearts did with the ball when they had it – the number of stray passes was frankly unnerving – and to the fact that only a bad bounce diverted substitute Archie Campbell’s low cross away from Chris Kane as the Dumbarton man looked sure to score late on.

The loss of Kevin McHattie after 12 minutes did not affect Hearts too much as replacement Adam Eckersley did well. McHattie had a scan on his injured knee yesterday and is expected to be out for some weeks.

Sow should have put Hearts ahead after 37 minutes, but Dumbarton goalkeeper Danny Rogers saved his effort, having parried away Holt’s fierce shot seconds before.

At the other end, veteran goalkeeper Neil Alexander returned from injury and showed good reactions early on to keep out former Hibs striker Colin Nish’s header, and he was not too troubled thereafter.

“I’m glad to be back but it turned out to be a disappointing day,” said Alexander. “We just weren’t good enough but you have to also give Dumbarton credit for the way they performed. They made it very hard for us.

“Our momentum was good before the international break, we were flying. Then you have a few boys away and things like that and it upsets the training routine a bit. But that’s no excuse. We should be good enough to go to places like Dumbarton and get three points.

Alexander tried to impart his experience to his colleagues after the draw: “I said to the boys that is what happens when you’re top of the league. Teams raise their game, make it hard for you and sit in with ten men behind the ball. We’re going to come up against that if we want to be title contenders this year. We’ve got to overcome that kind of thing and be better at doing so.

“It’s a sign of respect in a way as teams know we’ve been playing well and are at the top of the league on merit.”

Alexander at 36 obviously wants a long run between the sticks before he retires, but is confident that his eventual replacement – either Jack Hamilton or Scott Gallacher – is up to the job.

He said: “Jack’s a great lad with a great attitude and we’re very confident that he’s got a fantastic future ahead of him. He’s got a mature head on his shoulders and if he keeps his feet on the ground and keeps progressing the way he is then the sky’s the limit for him. I can see him being the Hearts No 1 for many years to come – he’s just got to be patient and his time will come.

“Scott Gallacher is there as well so I’ve got two great goalkeepers breathing down my neck which is good for the future as well. When I step down and hang up my gloves the position is in good hands.”