First Team
ALL THE INFO | PARTICK THISTLE (H)
1st May 2024
HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN 4 (Wilson, Wilson, Hambrook, Ross)
DUNDEE UNITED 1 (Heenan)
CAS UNDER-18S ELITE LEAGUE
19:30 FRIDAY 17TH MARCH
ORIAM
Friday night football unfolded in the capital as the Young Terrors clashed with Heart of Midlothian.
Stuart Heenan was the hero last time out at Oriam when he headed United level deep into second-half stoppage time to earn a deserved point for his side – 2-2 the final score.
Team Talk
Despite playing featuring against Kilmarnock in the Reserve Cup Semi-Final on Tuesday, Craig Moore, Sean Borland, Arron Donald and Keir Bertie all kept their place in the U18s XI. Alan Domeracki, who climbed from the bench to net a late consolation, was given the nod to start on the right, as was fellow Rugby Park substitute Stuart Heenan.
The match also heralded the return of mercurial midfielder Bryan Mwangi and towering central defender Greg Petrie.
Early Spot Kick
After just five minutes, the hosts were presented with the opportunity to open the scoring from the spot. Perhaps displaying signs of rust after a spell on the sidelines, Petrie allowed Matthew Gillies’ speculative lob back into the mixer to bounce inside his box, before Kai Smutek raced in to pounce on the loose ball.
The United defender then made a desperate attempt to clear, clumsily felling the Hearts captain in the process. Wideman James Wilson stepped up to the plate and swept home into the side netting, sending Lewis Haldane the wrong way to break the deadlock.
Chances were few and far between in what turned out to be a turgid first period. Both sides were keen to hunt in packs, surrounding the ball sharply and creating countless 50/50s to be contested in the midfield.
Wilson At The Double
On 22 minutes, Wilson doubled his side’s lead and his tally for the evening despite not putting in much of the groundwork himself.
Jambos frontman Mackenzie Ross elegantly jinked through two despairing United challenges into the 18-yard box and, with the opportunity to strike himself, he unselfishly squared to Wilson standing in splendid isolation on the penalty spot for a simple tap-in.
United did enjoy the majority of the controlled possession but were forced into the wider regions and struggled to create crossing opportunities.
In fact, the closest the Young Terrors came to getting themselves on the scoresheet in the opening 45 came from their opponents, as a miscued Alexander Walker header narrowly evaded the far post.
With the last action of the first half, Haldane’s skewed clearance landed at the feet of Wilson around 25 yards from goal. The number 12 spotted Ryan Duncan to his left who unleashed a fierce, low drive destined for the corner, but United defender Petrie threw himself in front of the ball to prevent the match being whisked from the visitors’ grasp before the break.
A feisty opening ten after the break culminated in United fashioning their first clear-cut sighting of goal. The tenacious Bertie sent a raking diagonal pass in the direction of marauding full-back Scott Constable, with the 15-year-old whistling a vicious half-volley just over Zach Paris’ crossbar.
Ruing Missed Chances
This miss would prove costly, however, as the Edinburgh outfit added a third mere seconds later to ensure the points would remain in the capital. A Route One ball was flicked on by Wilson to fellow forward Callum Hambrook drifting in behind the United defence who sent an audacious, first-time dink over Haldane amid suspicions of offside.
United responded through Borland on the hour mark. The left-sided attacker danced into the area and forced Paris to tip his unorthodox effort onto the post. Domeracki looked to find the target with the rebound but lashed into the side-netting on the turn.
This was to be Borland's last action as he was replaced by Adam Carnwath shortly after going close to pulling a goal back.
Hearts added a fourth on 69 minutes, with Rocco Friel’s delicious delivery from a corner being guided expertly into the corner by Ross from ten yards, unchallenged albeit.
Consolation
Young Terrors' top scorer Heenan would then net a consolation for Ryan Moon’s side. Ollie Simpson’s low ball across the edge of the box came to Gillies in the D who sent an awkward clearance spinning up his own body and onto his hand.
Whilst everyone stopped to look at the officials, Heenan remained alert to spin onto his right foot and go for goal. His shot headed straight for Hearts stopper Paris who let the ball squirm through his body and over the line.
United hit the woodwork twice in second-half stoppage time. First, substitute Owen Stirton left a cadre of maroon jerseys in his wake before striking the upright from 20 yards with a low finish, then goalscorer Heenan rattled the crossbar on a fast break.
Too little too late for United as cheap goals saw a relatively positive performance undone at Oriam.
Teamlines
Heart of Midlothian: Paris, Friel, Gillies, Smutek, Crookston, Hambrook, Ross, Duncan, Wilson, Stevenson, Walker (Cowie, Selfridge, Hogarth, Burn, Anderson, Muirhead, Plesiewicz)
United: Haldane, Constable, Simpson, Petrie, Donald, Bertie, Borland, Moore, Domeracki, Mwangi, Heenan (McCabe, Carnwath, Low, Stirton, Cameron)
