OSMAN SOW produced the killer goal which strengthened 10-man Hearts’ position in the top three of the Ladbrokes Premiership and offered hope that they may still be able to play a longer-term role in the race for the title.
The Tynecastle side controlled the first half against Ross County and went in at the interval in front thanks to a splendid effort from Callum Paterson, but the complexion of the match changed briefly just after the interval when the home captain Blazej Augustyn was red-carded for bringing down Liam Boyce as he advanced into a goalscoring position.
County failed to make their numerical advantage pay, though, and Sow completed a deserved victory midway through the second 45.
Hearts sit just three points behind league leaders Celtic in third spot after Aberdeen’s latest slip-up at home to Motherwell, although the defending champions will expect to extend that lead in their game in hand at home to Dundee United on Sunday afternoon.
Even so, the Edinburgh outfit, adapting well in their grand return to the top flight, have now put five points between themselves and fourth-placed County and ought to be targeting the teams above them rather than looking over their shoulders. They have enough within the ranks to, at least, maintain the healthy position they enjoy right now.
Without Augustyn’s expulsion from the field, this would, most probably, have been even more comfortable for the home side.
The match had been relatively level as a contest until Paterson’s most emphatic opener in the 15th minute. From then until half-time, though, Robbie Neilson’s side seized control of affairs and restricted Ross County to very little in the way of meaningful possession far less goalscoring opportunities.
As clinical as Paterson’s finish was, however, the build-up was all a little messy.
Sam Nicholson moved inside from the left and released a shot that spun high into the air off Chris Robertson and landed on the edge of the penalty box. Nicholson showed great presence of mind to challenge Andrew Davies and Richard Foster when it landed and the ball spilled out to Paterson just over 20 yards out.
His right-footed strike was clean and true and curled so handsomely into goalkeeper Gary Woods’ bottom right-hand corner.
Paterson produced a terrific cross into the heart of the area after picking up a pass out wide from Arnaud Djoum, making his first start for Hearts in central midfield, but it was just inches above the head of Juanma Delgado and ended up being turned behind for a corner by a relieved Foster.
Jamie Walker had a curling shot from the left parried by Woods just before the half-hour and was denied by the keeper again shortly before the interval when playing a clever one-two with Juanma and seeing his dangerous shot touched over the crossbar.
It was difficult to see how the visitors would work their way back into the contest at that point. Hearts, without being spectacular, had the game in the palm of their hands and Ross County very much in a death grip.
Igor Rossi and Augustyn loosened that quite considerably in the 48th minute, though, thanks to an awful foul-up deep in their own territory. Rossi had a pass intercepted by Liam Boyce and Augustyn brought the Irish forward crashing on the edge of the area as he prepared to home in on goal.
Alan Muir, the referee, had little option but to send the Polish centre-back packing. Neilson, whose complaints to fourth official Mike Roncone over the decision seemed pretty half-hearted, rejigged his line-up by replacing Juanma with full-back Liam Smith and leaving Sow ploughing a lone furrow up front.
The tactical reshuffle curtailed Hearts as an attacking force. County smelt blood and began to advance further upfield with Boyce forcing Neil Alexander into a low save from a crisp drive, but some truly chaotic defending ended this as a live contest with 22 minutes to play.
Walker fed the ball onto Sow inside the area after being released on the left by Rossi. The tall Swede drifted inside and skipped wide of the keeper, but the chance looked to have gone when the ball stuck under his feet.
Quite how Woods and his defenders failed to deal with the danger remains something of a mystery, but Sow managed to retain possession despite a couple of challenges and stick out a leg while grounded to force the ball into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.
County, in contrast, were simply never going to score. Craig Curran, on for Brian Graham, proved it in the 72nd minute.
Following a bout of bagatelle in the area, the ball broke to him no more than a yard out. Confounding all laws of probability, he succeeded only in sending a first-time effort back off the near post.
That summed the day up for the visitors. Very much an affair to forget.
Hearts (4-4-2): Alexander; Paterson, Augustyn, Rossi, McGhee; Walker (87), Buaben, Djoum, Nicholson (Gomis 76); Juanma (Smith 53), Sow.
Booked: Rossi (10), Juanma (49). Sent-off: Augustyn (48).
Scorers: Paterson (15), Sow (68).
Ross County (4-4-2): G. Woods; Fraser, Davies, Robertson, Reckord (Franks 46); Gardyne, Murdoch (M. Woods 53), Irvine, Foster; Boyce, Graham (Curran 63).
Booked: Robertson (23), Foster (26), Davies (31).
Referee: Alan Muir.
Attendance: 16,264.
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