Ayr snatch crucial away win at Thistle
A Jamie Murphy header proved to be the difference in an attritional first leg at Firhill which saw nine yellow cards produced. Having ceded possession and with the momentum going against them, the striker produced a deft header to give his side the advantage that would come to be the only goal of the game. Despite the low scoring affair, there was no shortage of action on the night as Nick McAllister was eventually forced off with a head injury which had occurred a few minutes earler after Thistle captain Brian Graham intervened to ask that the player be removed. The interruption would set the tone for a game that seemed to have more stoppages than completed passes, both teams forced to send the ball long to find joy. Graham would have opportunities in the opening half, the first header denied by the palm of the acrobatic Clarke whilst the second sailed past the Ayr keeper’s post. Looking as if a draw would suffice, the visitors aimed to wind down the clock and mount their attacks on home turf. However Scott Brown was instead able to leave with what could prove to be a decisive win for the side. Ayr did have chances prior to the goal, in an attack beginning with Scott McMann the men in white found themselves scything through the middle of their opponents before George Oakley blasted his attempt wide. Looking to the heavens for answers, Graham would see his and Thistle’s final attempt at rescuing something flash wide. Line-ups: Partick Thistle: Mitchell, O’Reilly, Ashcroft, McBeth, Megwa, Turner, Bannigan, Fitzpatrick (Stanway 84), Crawford (Ablade 61), Lawless, Graham (c) Unused subs: Budinauckas, Falconer, Lockhart, Mackenzie Booked: Fitzpatrick, Turner, Crawford, Graham, O’Reilly Ayr United: Clarke, McMann, Agbaire, McAllister (Watret 10), Reading, Rus, Dempsey (c), McKenzie, Murphy (Henderson 76), Oakley (Main 77), McLennan Unused subs: Hastie, Mutch, Walker Goals: Murphy (55) Booked: Oakley, Agbaire, Clarke Attendance: 5,250
EPL Power Player Eyes Move into Scottish Football with £10m Hearts Deal
Premier League influence could soon reach into Scottish football as Brighton & Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom edges closer to securing a minority stake in Heart of Midlothian. The proposed £9.86 million investment from the British entrepreneur would mark a significant development for the Edinburgh club—if approved by its fan-ownership body, Foundation of Hearts (FoH). After more than a year of private negotiations, the deal now hinges on a vote by over 8,000 FoH members. If a simple majority supports the move, Bloom would acquire a 29 per cent stake in Hearts through the issuance of new, non-voting shares. While this would not grant him any say in the club’s decision-making processes, the deal would entitle him to appoint a representative to the Tynecastle board, taking the total number of directors to eight. Bloom’s reputation as one of football’s most analytical minds precedes him. Alongside his stewardship of Premier League side Brighton, he also holds a stake in Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise. His recruitment firm, Jamestown Analytics, has already begun working with Hearts, applying cutting-edge data techniques to modernise the club’s player and coaching recruitment strategy. His investment would bring significant financial injection and strategic expertise, but it also raises questions over the future of the club’s leadership. It remains unclear whether current CEO Andrew McKinlay will remain in post or what role Ann Budge, Hearts’ influential chairwoman, would play going forward. While Bloom wouldn’t be involved in day-to-day operations, Hearts would gain direct access to his network of football experts and innovative analytical systems. For some supporters, this represents a bold step into modern footballing infrastructure; for others, the idea of outside influence—even with non-voting rights—marks a shift in the club’s identity as a fan-owned institution. The vote is now open. Its outcome could mark the beginning of a new era at Tynecastle—one that brings Premier League connections and continental insight to Gorgie.
Idah Strikes as Celtic Deny Rangers a Final Flourish at Ibrox
On a day when Celtic had little to prove but plenty of pride to protect, Adam Idah ensured that Rangers’ hopes of ending their domestic campaign with bragging rights were reduced to rubble at Ibrox. The Irishman’s deflected second-half strike not only cancelled out Cyriel Dessers’ opener but extended Rangers’ winless run at home against their bitter rivals to a historically grim seventh game — the longest such sequence in their storied history. While the title had long been sewn up by Brendan Rodgers’ side, the notion that this derby was meaningless was swiftly laughed off in a contest crackling with tension, controversy, and old scores still to be settled. Barry Ferguson, leading Rangers in what may well be his final Old Firm bout as interim boss, demanded fire and purpose from his players — and, for the first 45 minutes, he got it. Nicolas Raskin thought he’d broken the deadlock with an early header, but VAR’s icy grip ruled him offside. Celtic looked vulnerable — particularly from set-pieces, a flaw Rodgers had flagged pre-match — and were lucky to see Leon Balogun’s point-blank header clatter the bar rather than the net. Eventually, the breakthrough came. It was Dessers again — goal number 25 in a season marked as much by scrutiny as by strikes. A flowing Rangers move ended with the striker shrugging off Liam Scales and burying his finish low past Sinisalo to ignite Ibrox. But as they’ve done so often this season, Celtic responded with maturity and steel. Maeda’s burst down the left forced chaos in the box, and when the ball fell to Idah, the striker swivelled smartly before drilling a shot — via a deflection — beyond Liam Kelly. The linesman’s flag came up. For a moment, Ibrox celebrated. But VAR — this time in Celtic’s favour — ruled that Maeda was passive, not interfering. Goal. One apiece. Rangers, for all their aggression, couldn’t muster another telling blow. Celtic, though far from fluid, managed the latter stages smartly, denying the hosts any clear sight of a winner. Maeda might’ve stolen all three points late on but scuffed a golden chance on the break. In the end, it was a result that encapsulates much of Rangers’ season: promise, frustration, and familiar failings at home. Talking Points Rangers’ Ibrox Curse DeepensSeven without a win against Celtic at Ibrox is more than a blemish — it’s a scar on the psyche of a club still reeling from losing the league with barely a whimper. Ferguson’s men showed character but once again lacked killer instinct. Celtic’s Mentality Remains UnshakenAlready champions, and having shipped three goals in each of their previous three derbies, Celtic might have wilted. Instead, they dug in and salvaged a point through grit and nous — exactly the qualities that have made Rodgers’ men worthy champions. Idah’s Big MomentIt hasn’t been a headline-grabbing spell in Glasgow for the Republic of Ireland striker, but in the white-hot atmosphere of Ibrox, he delivered. His sharp turn and finish spoke of a player growing into the shirt at just the right time. What They Said Barry Ferguson, Rangers interim head coach: “The effort and energy were there. We scored a good goal and handled most of what Celtic threw at us. But the quality in key moments — that’s where we need to improve.” Brendan Rodgers, Celtic manager: “Once we adapted to their shape, I thought we controlled large parts of the game. The goal was deserved, and I never felt like we were under sustained pressure. It’s a result that reflects the character in the team.”
Hibs loving Kukharevych hopes to drive club to Europe
Despite a difficult second loan spell at the club, Mykola Kukharevych says he has always felt part of the team and says he wants to give as much as he can before returning to Swansea in the summer. Speaking after scoring his seventh goal of the season, the Ukrainian forward expressed how much Europe would mean to the players. “Obviously, it’s incredible, I think for every club who can express themselves in the European arena, this is massive for everyone, everyone wants it,” said Kukharevych. Having played for Hibs before signing for Swansea, the capital has played an important role in his development despite the injuries that have disrupted his season, missing ten consecutive games between December and January. “I felt always like part of the team, it doesn’t matter, everyone I think feels part of the team. Sometimes someone comes and doesn’t play or someone has an injury, but they can come back and they can make a difference,” said the 6″4″ striker. “I understand the club gave me a lot, I can showcase myself in Europe here and I really appreciate it. Now I want to give something back to the club,” he said before later adding “I’m really happy I just fell in love with this club, because it’s a massive club, good city and a very good stadium thanks to the fans.” However when asked, Kukharevych was coy about his future when his loan ends in just a few weeks. “Obviously, I don’t think a lot about that, my focus is on this last game and to achieve as much as possible and after I take my holidays, we’ll see.”
Dundee United players p***** off after Hibs loss – Ferry
United defender Will Ferry says his side are embarrassed after their loss at Easter Road, but will bounce back as they look to secure European football. A lacklustre first-half left the side struggling to overcame a side with just one league in eighteen up until that point, with the defender visibly frustrated after the 3-1 defeat. “Honestly, it’s really frustrating. I don’t want to come in here and give you a rubbish interview, (0:19) but it’s a hard one to take,” said Ferry. “We’ll obviously watch it back, but the first feeling is they are really bad goals and we can’t really hide from that. Even the third one was awful as well. It’s disappointing and we’ll just look to correct it.” As the side struggles to maintain their freshness after forty-two games and a squad lacking the depth of their rivals Hibs and Aberdeen. The opening twenty games saw last season’s Championship winners lose just four games but that has risen to nine in the following fifteen. However the summer signing from Cheltenham said the club must move on swiftly if they are to stay in the race for Europe, with St Mirren their next opponent. “We’re not going to ponder on it. I don’t want to sit here and sulk like a kid. Obviously, you lose games, but it’s the manner we did it,” he said before adding “so, we’ve just got to go and put it right. We can only focus on ourselves, we can’t worry too much about what’s happened now.”
Hibs defeat a reality check – Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin admitted there was little to be done as they fell 3-1 to a “better team” in Hibs, with injuries beginning to take their toll on his side. After going two goals down with a quarter of an hour, the visitors made life difficult for themselves in a crucial battle for the European places. “The first half was a non-event as far as we’re concerned in terms of what we put into it”, said the manager whose replacements at half-time brought the side goal back with Kristijan Trapanovski scoring five minutes after coming on. “We had a 20-minute spell just after half-time where we made a couple of changes and I thought both Middleton and Trapanovski had a positive impact. Obviously, we get that goal and get ourselves back into it but I thought Hibs finished the game stronger then as well for the last 15-20 minutes and got the third goal.” Goodwin admitted his side have been counting the costs of a long season, pushing for the top four in their first season since promotion. “We’ve got a number of players starting the game today that are carrying knocks and that aren’t quite at 100% but that’s the situation we’re in. (3:41) We don’t have huge strength and depth, obviously in that back area in particular,” he said after the game. However the manager was keen to stress that Hibernian were deserved winners on the day. “Sometimes you get beaten by the better team and I think if you look at the players that Hibs have got, individually across the board, I just thought that they were better than us. That is, of course, disappointing given what is at stake but we’re very much still in the fight.” With three games left to play, United find themselves three points behind Aberdeen and six behind Hibs with St Mirren, Rangers and the Dons still to play.
Celtic title challenge all but over after dominant City display
Celtic’s title and European ambitions hang by a thread as they were blown away by Glasgow City in an impressive first-half. Beating a retreating Celtic defence for pace, Nicole Kozlova had it all to do but fired home the opener from an angle tighter than the gap between the two sides up until that point. Putting some distance between the two teams, Kozlova bagged a brace before the half-hour mark after a poor clearance from Kelsey Daugherty allowed Brenna Lovera to put the opportunity on goal for her teammate on a plate. Disaster struck for the visitors with the Celtic keeper again at fault, unable to shift the ball before Lovera picked her pocket and opened a three goal margin to leave Elena Sadiku scrambling to save her season. Despite the difficult half, Celtic began to mount a comeback as Lucy Ashworth-Clifford tapped the ball in at the back post after some good work from substitute Katherine Loferski to get the ball across the face of goal. Kolzlova came ever so close to a hat-trick but for a strong save from Daugherty at point blank range late in the first-half, the keeper also forced into a fingertip save as Hayley Lauder’s cross looked to be heading for the top corner. Celtic struggled to create chances but Murphy Agnew was brilliantly denied by a sprawling Lee Gibson in a rare goalscoring opportunity for the away side. Victory sees City move level on points with Hibernian having played a game more whilst Celtic trail both by eight with three games of the seasons left to play. More to follow … Line-ups: Glasgow City: Gibson, Smit (Muir 84), Walsh, van Diemen, Määttä (Fulton 71), Gambone, Lauder (c) (Whelan 71), Motlhalo (Lockwood 84), Evans, Lovera (Wróbel 87), Kozleva Unused subs: Anderson, Easdon, Forrest, Love Goals: Kozlova (24, 30), Lovera (45) Booked: Smit, Lovera Celtic: Daugherty, Barclais, Bruna Lourenço, Clark (c), Lawton, Nakao, Ashworth-Clifford (Harrison 77), McAneny (Smith 77), Gallacher (Cavanagh 86), Noonan, Agnew (Loferski 53) Unused subs: Carstnes, Dawson, Rodgers Goals: Ashworth-Clifford (54) Booked: Gallacher
Hearts rally to down Staggies
Hearts came from a goal behind to condemn Don Cowie’s men to a sixth straight league defeat in a 3-1 victory in Dingwall on Saturday.Ronan Hale’s 14th goal of the season proved to be the only highlight as a double from a rejuvenated Lawrence Shankland and a late strike from Alan Forrest was enough to give interim manager Liam Fox a win in his first game in charge. Hale’s strike just before the half-hour mark was as good as it got, the Irishman unleashing a brilliant strike 20 yards from goal, which was drilled into the bottom corner. Shankland has been deployed in midfield for large parts of the season, but Fox opted for the traditional number 9 role with Elton Kabangu and James Wilson on the bench, marking a departure from the Neil Critchley era. Those changes proved dividends as Shankland brought Hearts level just shy of half-time, the Scottish International received the ball from Beni Baningime and struck low below Jordan Amissah. A flurry of Staggies chances and a VAR check for a penalty gave Cowie hope that they might be able to retake the lead, but it wasn’t long before Shankland fired Hearts in front, to the delight of the near-900 Hearts fans in the Highlands. A brilliant passing move from the Jambos saw the ball worked from defence to attack, resulting in a terrific ball from Vargas across the Ross County goal, which had the Staggies defence at a standstill as Shankland was his classic predatory self and swept the ball cooly past Amissah. Blair Spittal spent three years in the Highlands and almost hit a sweet strike from distance that cannoned off the crossbar as the Staggies looked down for the count. Cowie made sweeping subs to try and inject some life into the County attack and claw themselves away from the relegation playoff spots. That change did little to appease the Staggies faithful, however, and the pivotal fourth goal would follow late into the game. Akil Wright slipped under pressure from Shankland, who raced down the left and flashed the ball to an unmarked Forrest, who calmly slotted Hearts’ third to take the three points back to Edinburgh. County remain two points behind Dundee but the threat of a third straight relegation play-off is looming large for the Dingwall side with three games remaining. They travel to Perth next weekend to take on a seemingly doomed St. Johnstone side. Hearts are looking to finish best of the rest as they chase top spot of the bottom half of the split in pursuit of Motherwell. With the games remaining, it remains to be seen if boss Fox can use them as an audition for his own shot of the Jambos job. FULL-TIME: ROSS COUNTY 1 – 3 HEARTS Ross County: Amissah; Wright, Tomkinson, Ashworth, Brown, (Nisbet 63), Kenneh, (Efete 63), Randall, Harmon, (Grieves 74); Samuel (Robesten 83), Hale, White 6 (Phillips 63). Subs not used: Ross, Campbell, Lopata, Smith. Hearts: Gordon; Forrester, Kent, Halkett, Penrice, Baningime, Spittal (Nieuwenhof 70), Vargas (Dhanda 80), Grant, Forrest, (Wilson 90), Shankland. Subs not used: Fulton, Kingsley, McKay, Steinwender, Kabangu, Kartum. Referee: Don Robertson Man of the match: Lawrence Shankland.
Robinson’s Buddies defeat the Dons as they set up a late dash for Europe!
St Mirren ended Aberdeen’s unbeaten run of eight games with a 1-0 win at St. Mirren Park. This win, along with Hibs’ defeat of Dundee United at Easter Road, has given the Buddies a chance at a European place. A set piece on the hour mark from Captain Mark O’Hara found its way through to Mikael Mandron, who sealed the three points. Last weekend, Aberdeen managed to end Hibs’ record-equalling unbeaten run of 17 games at Pittodrie, extending their unbeaten run to 8 games. St. Mirren earned a well-deserved point in their 2-2 draw with Rangers, with some fans believing they may have deserved more from the game. The first half started, and for the opening 10 minutes, it was one-way traffic from the Dons with the Buddies struggling to get out of their half. After this, it became a feisty affair between the two sides, but the visitors looked the most dangerous from chances. In the 25th minute, the travelling side had the ball in the back of the net. A cross into the box, along with scrappy defending, allowed the ball to fall to the feet of Okkels, who slotted it past Zach Hemming. However, the ball appeared to hit the hand of Kevin Nisbet on the way in and was chopped off via VAR. After this, it seemed to spur the home side into life as they began to create more chances in the game. Chances from O’Hara, John, and Mandron came but did not find the back of the net. The first half whistle blew, and both sides had periods of control throughout this feisty encounter. The second half kicked off and continued that feisty display from both sides. The opening 15 minutes continued this way, and then on the hour mark, the home side struck home, thus breaking the deadlock. A set-piece cross from Captain Mark O’Hara 40 yards out found its way through to the far-left hand side of the goal, and Mandron, after signing a new contract this week, fired it home. For the remainder of the game, the visitors controlled the possession of the game but failed to take their chances. This, along with St. Mirren’s physical presence at the back, meant the Dons failed to record a single shot on target in the game. This past week, Manager Stephen Robinson spoke about a push for a European Place. After today’s result, he said; “I know this group of players, the talent they have, they desire they have, and people thought we’d turn up for these two games and not put everything into it, that’s not how my teams work, and not how my players work”. Don’s manager Jimmy Thelin said; “It was a difficult game, I don’t think we were good enough to deserve the win, but maybe not bad enough to lose. It was a typical 0-0 game with something extra needed, a set play or one against one situation, and today they did it and we didn’t do it”. This result makes the race for third between Hibs, Dundee United and Aberdeen all the more interesting as Hibs now have the advantage with the Buddies slowly closing the gap to United.
Advantage Hibs in race for Europe
Hibernian secured a first home win over Dundee United since 2020 as Dwight Gayle’s late finish sealed the three points, taking the side one step closer to qualifying for Europe next season. An uncharacteristic lapse in concentration allowed Martin Boyle to poke the ball home just four minutes in after Declan Gallagher could not untangle his legs from the ball, a twelfth league goal of the season for the forward. Failing heed the warning, Mykola Kukharevych was able to saunter into the box and drive a shot onto the inside of the post before ricocheting behind a helpless Jack Walton. Two changes at the break surmised Jim Goodwin’s displeasure at the lackadaisical approach his side took after going down, the results immediately providing the side with a much needed impetus as Kristijan Trapanovski took advantage of a poor corner clearance to pull one back. As the game approached its end, three minutes after coming on fan favourite and the soon to be retiring Gayle lifted propelled himself to header a third to ensure the points would not travel back to Dundee with the visitors. United in truth were fortunate to not find themselves standing before an even greater mountain to climb as Walton parried efforts from Junior Hoilett and Kukharevych in quick succession. The stopper would deny Josh Campbell with a stunning save from close ranger after the break to keep his side in the game as the midfielder pummelled the ground in frustration. Jordan Smith played his part too at the other end, throwing himself to deny Emmanuel Adegboyega from less than a metre out. Both sides desperate to take advantage of Aberdeen’s defeat at St Mirren. Victory leaves Hibs six points ahead of United and three clear of the Dons with three games left to play. Hibs strength in depth As sides in the league count the casualties in the infirmary, David Gray must take some pleasure in having a bench almost as strong as the starting XI. Having done the dirty work in the first half, the manager could bring on the likes of Kieron Bowie, Nicky Cadden who assisted fellow replacement Dwight Gayle. Gray spoke after the game of the importance of players understanding that the role of substitute is as important as those who started and as their opponents showed signs of running out of steam, the bench might be as important as ever with three to go. Goodwin hopes season does not peter out To finish in the top half is already quite an achievement for a side only just promoted but having come so tantalisingly close it is understandable that anything but a European place would feel like disappointment for Jim Goodwin and his players. Speaking in the press conference, the manager pointed to tired bodies throughout the squad but was keen to point out that Hibs were far and away deserved winners, philosophical in understanding that they have done well to sit where they are whilst not wanting it to end on a sour note. Unimpressed with the way his side played in the first-half, Goodwin said he wanted more from his players to ensure they gave themselves every chance of placing in the top four. After all, they were only three points behind Aberdeen. What the managers said Hibs boss David Gray: “The way they started the game, I thought it was an excellent first-half performance, especially. (0:29) Then, obviously, the way the game went in the second half, the next goal in the game was always going to be huge. Dundee United made a few changes, scored the next goal, but the players showed massive character.” “I said before the game to the players about us controlling the controllables. All we can do at the moment is take care of what we are doing.” ” The line I use all the time with the players is, the team that starts is never the team that finishes. So, subs need to be ready to impact it in a positive way and that’s happened on numerous occasions now this season.” United boss Jim Goodwin: “I thought Hibbs were the better team over the whole piece and deserved the victory in the end.” “Ultimately, what it boils down to is the fashion in which we concede the goals, far too easy.” “Sometimes you get beaten by the better team and I think if you look at the players that Hibbs have got, individually across the board, I just thought that they were better than us. That is, of course, disappointing given what is at stake but we’re very much still in the fight. Line-ups: Hibs: Smith, Iredale, Bushiri, O’Hora, Obita (N. Cadden 84), Levitt, Triantis, C. Cadden (Miller 84), Hoilett (Campbell 62), Kuharevich (Bowie 69), Boyle (c) (Gayle 84) Unused Subs: Bursik, Ekpiteta, Manneh, Moriah-Welsh Goals: Boyle (4), Kuharevich (14), Gayle (87) Booked: Levitt Dundee United: Walton, Ševelj, Gallagher, Adegboyega (Campbell 78), Ferry, Sibbald, Docherty (c), Strain, Babunski (Middleton 46), van der Sande (Trapanovski 46), Dalby Unused subs: Harding, Fiorini, Fotheringham, Moult, Paton, Richards Goals: Trapanovski (50) Booked: Docherty 18,399
