Hearts debrief: Craig Halkett's excellent return, tactical changes spot on, set-piece defending

A look back at Saturday’s match at Tynecastle as Hearts kicked off the return with a win over Kilmarnock
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Player of the match

Lawrence Shankland may have tucked away two goals but it’s between three other contenders. Josh Ginnelly was excellent leading the line and a big reason why Hearts enjoyed such a fruitful first half, while Robert Snodgrass ran the show once again in the middle of the park. But let’s instead go for Craig Halkett after the defender made his first start since September. The centre-back’s aggressiveness and aerial dominance was a welcome return to the back-line, while his composure on the football suggestes he’ll comfortably handle playing on the right of the three.

Defining moment

Lawrence Shankland converts his penalty to make it 3-1 to Hearts and wrap up the win over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle Park. Picture: SNSLawrence Shankland converts his penalty to make it 3-1 to Hearts and wrap up the win over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle Park. Picture: SNS
Lawrence Shankland converts his penalty to make it 3-1 to Hearts and wrap up the win over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle Park. Picture: SNS

The opening goal said a lot about where the game was won and lost. Ginnelly’s pace caused problems, as it did throughout the opening period, but Killie were still architects of their own downfall with Joe Wright making the first of three errors for each of Hearts’ goals.

Ref watch

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Willie Collum rightfully called the penalty decision. Wright was unlucky as he didn’t know much about it, but his hand was up over his head. Under the laws of the game that’s always going to be a penalty for handball. The whistler also largely kept his cards in his pocket.

Benefit of hindsight

There’s nothing really to be critical about here from the perspective of the Hearts management. Halkett on the right of the three, Stephen Kingsley in the centre, Shankland on the right of the attack, Ginnelly up front, it all looked a little strange at the outset but it all worked. The substitutions of Jorge Grant and Orestis Kiomourtzoglou also provided a lift at just the right time. Instead, it’s the players who should rue their actions. Kilmarnock’s goal was bad enough, but it was pretty startling that the defence got caught out from a very similar free-kick routine which almost led to a goal 20 minutes earlier.

Moment you may have missed

During the first half a Killie fan tried to jump for the ball as it went into the away end but ended up going down and over the railing, landing on the track at the side of the pitch, much to the amusement of the Hearts fans who witnessed it.

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