What a difference a manager makes.
Hearts looked like a team transformed under Neil Critchley as they swatted aside Omonoia 2-0 under the lights at Tynecastle.
If those in maroon had grown apathetic towards the team at the tail end of Steven Naismith’s tenure, the new manager bounce is truly alive and well as the 17 thousand strong crowd had the old ground shaking to its foundations.
In the first period Hearts pressed like a team possessed. Blair Spittal’s volley over the bar with only seconds on the clock a sign of things to come.
They were rewarded for their efforts within 16 minutes. Spittal took on a shot from the edge of the area which broke to Alan Forrest who duly lashed it home to send the home fans delirious.
Not to be denied a goal of his own, Spittal rattled a volley into the top corner just six minutes later to turn the volume up even further in Gorgie.
The Cypriot side brought a considerable away support and did muster up a better fight in the second half and Willy Semedo could’ve snatched one back had he kept composure on the edge of the area. Instead the ball nestled in the top tier of Hearts fans behind the goal.
Substitute Jorge Grant had the ball in the net with ten minutes left but he was denied by a late offside flag.
Tony Bloom’s analytics system that has put Critchley in place has won over some of the early doubters and all the data points towards a side on a upwards curve ahead of this weekend’s crucial Edinburgh derby.
