"Away up in Gorgie at Tynecastle Park"

Saturday April 4th 2009
Scottish Premier League
Tynecastle Stadium
Heart of Midlothian (2) 3 Elliot 2, Aguiar
Kilmarnock (1) 1 Invincible
Attendance 13,659
(Above) Season ticket holders at HMFC can from time to time purchase tickets for selected games for their friends for just £5.00.
For this road trip - 518 miles return - I was joined by my mad Polish mate Dave (hence the seat holders name printed on the ticket) and took advantage of the offer my annual investment in the club entitles me to .
(Below) My good friend Fiona, who along with her husband Bob and a few other notable die-hards (hello Stevie Colquhoun) worked tirelessly for the Save Our Hearts cause a few seasons ago without the due recognition they deserved, seen here handing out HOMST (Heart of Midlothian Supporters Trust) newsletters prior to kick off.
A mad Polish person is pretending he can read stood to Fiona's right.

Left click any of the images in this post to supersize them

(Above) Csaba's master plan, the new 5-4-3 formation is hatched.
That ought to do the trick ;-)
Ironically at this point some 'wit' shouted out. "Leave the fucking mascots on and take Elliot and Nade off instead"
Note: Christian Nade isn't even on the pitch, he was one of the subs today. 'Clum' Elliot scored twice, set up the third and was fouled in the box when Kilmarnock conceded a penalty.
(Above) Cleverly tucking himself in on the blind side of the Killy defence, Calum Elliot neatly turns home the ball with clinical and deft precision for his and Hearts second goal. I didn't get a picture of his first 'poachers' goal ... I wasn't expecting it!
(Above) Janos Balogh stretches to tip this Kilmarnock effort over the bar.
(Above) Bruno Aguiar, the Hearts player furthest right in the picture, latches on to a chance set up by Calum Eliot (grounded in the picture) and Hearts go 3-1 up.
Also note, Edinburgh Castle peaking over the top of the Main Stand.
(Above) During breaks in play Alan Combe the Kilmarnock goalkeeper enjoys nothing more than teaching his pet orange carrier bag obedience tricks.
"Sit and stay boy!"
He's getting really good at it.
(Above) Bruno Aguiar smashes his penalty kick against the upright and a scramble ensues in the Kilmarnock goal mouth.

The low-down. On 8 minutes Danny Invincible (a name straight out of Tiger comic) put the visitors up from a free header, completely unmarked and unchallenged while Hearts went to sleep around him.
But from the restart onwards it was one way traffic with Hearts pushing forward, first to pull level, which after several efforts and some fine goalkeeping from Combes they did when Elliot bundled the ball home following a scramble in the six yard box on 22 minutes. And before half time, taking the initiative when Elliot delicately turned the ball home from close range for the second.
On 50 minutes Aguiar couldn't miss after Elliot had set him up with a chance he created from Driver's cross.
At this point it looked as if Jim Jefferies side were going to be heading home having had a sound thrashing, but they held tight and their damage limitation tactics, aided by a Aguiar penalty miss kept the score down to 3-1.
Combes in particular was impressive as the visitors held out, denying Elliot his hat trick in spectacular fashion on 80 minutes.
Calum Elliot was subbed late on, probably so the crowd could boost his confidence by giving him the solo ovation his five star performance warranted - and didn't they just!

(Above) Even the most prolific of strikers can have an off day, when their concentration level isn't all it could be.
A manager like Stephen Frail would keep chucking in such a player at the deep end despite this obviously destroying his confidence and effecting his performances week after week.
A wise gaffer Like Csaba Laszlo however, would send a young player going through such a barren spell out on loan to a club like Livingston so he could regain his touch, rebuild his confidence and return to his club rejuvenated ... with spectacular results (below).
I never imagined when Calum Eliot went off to Livingston he would ever be coming back and to be honest given his performances last season I wasn't too concerned if I never saw him again either - but what a transformation, two goals and a man of the match award too - completely the right choice.
WELL PLAYED CLUM!