Barrie McKay reveals the secret to his creativity as he explains first Hearts goal

Andy Halliday’s hands are on his head, Peter Haring rubbing his eyes in disbelief. Barrie McKay’s first Hearts goal brought a mix of emotion, relief and good-natured banter at Tynecastle on Saturday.

A beautifully-cushioned volley sent the ball soaring past Livingston goalkeeper Max Stryjek to complete a 2-0 win after Beni Baningime claimed his second goal in two games. It took McKay 30 appearances to score for the Edinburgh club and team-mates were reminding him at every opportunity.

“It’s about time. The chances I’ve missed during the season were probably easier than that one. It’s been a bit of a running joke between the boys in the changing room but I’m glad to get my first goal,” he said.

“You miss chances but at least I’m in the position to get those chances. I’m still influencing the game with assists and creating chances so I put it to the back of my mind. I knew it would come eventually.

Andy Halliday celebrates with Barrie McKay after the winger's first Hearts goal.

“When they fly in the back of the net, they are the ones everybody talks about. I think the semi-final goal I scored [for Rangers against Celtic] is probably better because I can have a joke with Craigy [Gordon] about it.”

Clearly, the forward isn’t slow to dish it out. With Hearts 1-0 ahead, he studied Nathaniel Atkinson’s cross as it arrived and planted the perfect finish into the top corner after 58 minutes.

“I just tried to make a good connection with it, really,” he added. “If you try to hit those ones too hard, it will blaze over or hit off a defender. It was just about making good contact and thankfully it went in. I was waiting for it to hit the back of the net so I could celebrate.

“It was a running joke when sitting midfielders were scoring before me. I’m close with Beni so I had it all week and then on Saturday when he scored again. That was him on two and I was on zero so I had to bring one back.”

Andy Halliday and Peter Haring joke with Barrie McKay after the forward's first Hearts goal.

Umpteen assists already marked him out as a key component of this Hearts team. McKay said the freedom afforded him by manager Robbie Neilson underpins the consistency and is very much the secret behind his success in Edinburgh.

“Wherever I’ve been, I think I’ve always managed to create chances and get assists. It’s all about adding to the numbers. I’ve always said I want to get more goals and hopefully now I’ve got one I can go on a little run,” he said.

“It’s definitely a joy playing in this team. Right from the back they are solid so they give you that freedom to go and attack. Since I came here, the manager has given me that as well. I can float about and it suits me better to be like that rather than restricted to the one position. I can move about, get on the ball and create chances.”

Hearts (4-2-3-1): Gordon; Atkinson (Moore 82), Halkett, Kingsley, Halliday (Sibbick 82); Baningime (Cochrane 36), Haring; McEneff (Ginnelly 70), Boyce, McKay (Woodburn 82); Simms.

Livingston (4-2-3-1): Stryjek; Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Penrice (Lewis 74); Omeonga (Kelly 63), Holt; Forrest (Chukwuemeka 63), Pittman (Shinnie 74), Bailey (Soto 63); Nouble.

Referee: Euan Anderson.

Attendance: 17,957.

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