The fall-out from the Hearts-Rangers game at Tynecastle on Saturday continues more than 48 hours after the Gorgie side’s victory over their nearest challengers for the SPFL Championship. Hearts today announced that left back Kevin McHattie will be out for at least six weeks with a knee injury sustained following a horrific challenge from Rangers striker Kenny Miller at the beginning of the second half.

Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson had feared the worst and today scans revealed McHattie had strained his medial ligament.

“It is not good news but it is better than we had feared” Neilson told Hearts official website. “We knew it was quite a bad one but thankfully no surgery is required, with rest being needed. Kevin be in a brace to begin with and will be missing for six weeks.”

The news came in the aftermath of comments attributed to Rangers striker Jon Daly who suggested Hearts players cheated in order to gain an advantage. Daly remarked some of the home team ‘went down as if shot by a sniper in the stand’.

As if Rangers brutality on the field wasn’t bad enough – and many observers felt Kenny Miller should have also been sent off for the challenge on McHattie while substitute Kris Boyd could have seen red for a lunge on Brad McKay – the sour grapes emanating from Ibrox is difficult to accept without comment.

Rangers game plan on Saturday – particularly after Smith was sent off – was to stop Hearts playing at any cost. Elbows were flying, challenges late and tackles crunching. Admittedly, there were one or two ‘meaty’ challenges from the home side but these were nothing compared to Ally McCoist’s men.

In the end, Hearts passed Rangers into submission and while the Maroons have played much better this season, their victory on Saturday was richly deserved. Rangers are in trouble both on and off the field – and sportsmanship and graciousness in defeat clearly isn’t on their agenda.

Hearts, meanwhile, will lick their wounds and prepare for Sunday’s visit of the other half of the Old Firm in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Website | + posts

Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874

1 COMMENT

Comments are closed.