Last summer, had anyone carrying a magic lamp offered supporters of Hearts the prospect of claiming a point on the final day of the season to win Scotland’s Premiership the response would have been emphatic. Hearts have not been champions since 1960. Old Firm dominance of has lasted four decades. Breaking both moulds had been portrayed as fanciful.
Being placed in that exact scenario will give palpitations to those in maroon between now and Saturday. Hearts will travel to Celtic Park with their fate in their own hands but in opposition to a dominant club, for whom domestic success comes as second nature.
Hearts have turned heads well beyond Scotland with their superb title challenge yet the vagaries of football mean that falling short now will prove so horrendously painful. One point. So easy to say, so fiendishly difficult to achieve.
In this win over Falkirk, Hearts were as perfectly professional as has been the case for the vast majority of this season. Two goals to the good at half-time, they were never likely to be headed from there. Celtic’s late, late show at Motherwell is what takes this title thriller to game 38 of 38. Hearts took acclaim and legitimately so from this fantastic crowd at full time. What price a title party next? It will all be decided in a game for the ages in the east end of Glasgow. Hearts’ players could be legends by Saturday afternoon.
