Hearts opened up the 2024/25 William Hill Premiership campaign with a point against Rangers.
The Jambos impressed throughout the Tynecastle encounter, with Yan Dhanda hitting the woodwork, but couldn’t find the elusive goal that the performance merited.
Head Coach Steven Naismith named three new signings in the starting line up, with Dhanda, James Penrice and Gerald Taylor all given the nod, while there was a spot on the bench for Malachi Boateng.
The Jambos were first to threaten, inside two minutes. Penrice floated a ball into the box for Dhanda to head into the path of Lawrence Shankland, but his snapshot was held by Jack Butland.
A fantastic Butland save denied Hearts the opener five minutes later. Barrie McKay sent Penrice into the box and his ferocious left-foot drive was turned around the post by the Rangers keeper.
The Jambos went agonisingly close soon after. Taylor’s lung-bursting run took him into the box before he found Shankland, but his shot was deflected wide of the target.
Immediately after, the boys in maroon went even closer. Dhanda created space for himself at the edge of the box before curling an effort smack-bang off the crossbar.
Zander Clark was at his best to deny Rangers on the 20-minute mark. Connor Barron was afforded space to get to the edge of the box before striking, but the Scotland keeper flung himself to his left to turn the ball around the post.
Soon after, Cyriel Dessers did well to take down a ball inside the Hearts box but he could only lift his attempt over the target with Clark bearing down on him.
An incisive Hearts breakaway saw McKay go close on 25 minutes. Kenneth Vargas cut across the Rangers half before feeding Dhanda. He teed up McKay just outside the box but his swept his shot over the bar.
With five minutes until half-time, the visitors created a chance after putting the ball into the Hearts box for Dessers to take down and hit, but it was straight at Clark who pushed it away.
The woodwork came to Hearts’ rescue seven minutes into the restart. Dessers met a ball into the box and connected with head, only to bullet it off the underside of the crossbar.
Clark was called into action again after the hour mark. Tom Lawrence hit a half-volley from 18-yards but the Jambos stopper sprung to tip the ball over the bar.
Up the other end, Shankland went close to breaking the deadlock. McKay carried the ball into the Rangers box before feeding the striker, he danced away from two white shirts before drilling low, only for Butland to make a stop and smother the rebound as it spun back towards the goal.
The Jambos then once again nearly opened the scoring when McKay’s corner was met by Frankie Kent but his header was turned narrowly over his own goal by James Tavernier.
Kye Rowles came to the rescue with four minutes remaining after Rabbi Matondo headed across goal and towards the line but the Aussie internationalist was on hand to clear.
An impressive opening day performance by the Jam Tarts, who head to Dundee next Saturday for matchday two.
Hearts: Clark, Kent, Grant (Boateng, 84’), Shankland ©, McKay (Forrest, 78’), Devlin, Rowles, Dhanda (Spittal, 65’), Penrice, Vargas (Oda, 84’), Taylor (Oyegoke, 84’). Subs: Gordon, Kingsley, Halkett, Boyce.
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Yilmaz, Souttar, Cortes (Matondo, 48’), Barron (Dowell, 82’), Dessers, Diomande, Lawrence, Wright (Cerny, 60’), Davies (Balogun, 60’). Subs: Kelly, Jefte, King, McKinnon, Danilo.
