Improvised Hearts defence means deputies must learn quickly without three mainstays

Losing three first-choice defenders would expose any team to the kind of clobbering Hearts suffered at Ibrox on Sunday.

The absences of right-back Michael Smith plus central defenders John Souttar and Craig Halkett were keenly felt as Rangers exposed the improvised Tynecastle rearguard to win 5-0.

Two new recruits, Nathaniel Atkinson and Toby Sibbick, plus the on-loan Taylor Moore were the deputies standing in. All three performed admirably to record a deserved clean sheet at Easter Road last week, but stifling Rangers was a different proposition.

If anything, Sunday underlined the value of Smith, Souttar and Halkett to Hearts. Their respective injuries should clear up over the next few weeks – Souttar may even return against Dundee on Wednesday – but until such time the stand-ins are gaining valuable experience.

Hearts defender Nathaniel Atkinson is finding his feet in Scotland.

Atkinson and Sibbick are still only 22, while Moore is two years older. Atkinson explained his learning curve to the Evening News since arriving in Scotland from Melbourne City last month. “It’s been a real eye-opener to European football. You’re up close against the Old Firm and what they can produce,” he said.

“We played Celtic a couple of weeks ago and it was a close game which we could have got something out of. With the way we came out in the second half on Sunday, we might have got a result out of that as well. Football changes quickly, though, and the final result wasn’t good.

“We felt we started slow and lost an early goal, then we built ourselves into the game. We could have got a goal out of it and we went into half-time in high spirits. We started off well in the second half, got a couple of opportunities, then we conceded. At 2-0 down we should still be in the game but we let the floodgates open.”

The Australian feels he is gradually acclimatising to Scottish football after five Hearts appearances. “It has taken a bit to adapt. It’s obviously a different brand of football, a very physical and high-demanding game. I’m enjoying every minute of it. I think I’m getting more into it every day and finding my feet.

“I’m trying to bring my physicality to the game and defend well. Hopefully now I can start to show a bit more attacking threat with goals and assists. That’s what I want to achieve. I want to get up the pitch more.”

A certain compatriot has provided a familiar face and accent during the bedding-in process. Cammy Devlin’s presence around Riccarton and the apartment complex he and Atkinson share is vital to the defender.

“It’s been very handy having another Aussie around to help me settle in. I’ve got my girlfriend over now so that’s another person to speak to around the place. Cammy is binned for now but we will invite him over and cook some dinner for him,” laughed Atkinson.

Both are now focused on Wednesday’s game with Dundee at Tynecastle following the torture at Ibrox. “Our eyes are on this now. We have to forget about the Rangers game although it was disappointing. Games come thick and fast around this period, we are playing every three days. We will be looking for a win on Wednesday.

“It’s a huge game because obviously everyone is down in the dumps. To get a good result on Wednesday would help us completely forget about the Rangers game, move on and try to get European qualification.”

Behind the reorganised defence, the veteran Hearts captain Craig Gordon is a stabilising influence. He stressed the need to regain traction in the push towards third place and securing European football.

“The job is absolutely not finished. There are still a lot of games to go,” said the goalkeeper. “We are going to have to play a lot of good games between now and the end of the season, keep on picking up points. We are fully focused on the next one and trying to win that."

After taking on Dundee, the Premiership’s bottom side, Hearts host Livingston in the Scottish Cup at the weekend. “We’ve now got a couple of games at Tynecastle coming up. We have to put the Rangers result behind us by getting a couple of wins,” said Gordon.

“First and foremost we’ve got Dundee, who got a draw at Tynecastle the last time, so we are looking to put that right. We felt we should have won that game.”

As season 2021/22 enters its proverbial business end, now is not the time to relax. Hearts may be missing some influential figures in defence but the task of motoring on does not alter.

They still command a ten-point advantage in third place, with Motherwell fourth and Hibs 12 points behind in fifth. Regaining momentum against Dundee could be the catalyst for a successful run-in.

Gordon is aware his club are the envy of everyone in Scotland outside Celtic and Rangers at the moment due to that points advantage. “It’s hard to think about that immediately after a sore defeat like the one at Ibrox. We are still 10 points clear in third place and we need to focus on that,” he commented.

“Winning games is what has got us there and we need to keep doing that. I don’t think we’ve been out of any game apart from this one against Rangers which got away from us. So we need to dust ourselves down and go again.”

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