Hearts 2-2 Petrocub

Mark Atkinson reports from a dramatic night at Tynecastle.

Transcript

00:00There's an icy chill swirling around Tynecastle Park and it's not just the December air after

00:06Hearts crashed out of Europe this evening, drawing 2-2 with Moldovan minnows Petro Cup

00:12and blowing their chance of reaching the play-off round of the Europa Conference League.

00:17All the more galling for Hearts was that they came back from a goal down to lead 2-1 thanks

00:22to strikes from James Wilson and Blair Spittel with a concession of an 83rd minute penalty

00:27via VAR converted by the Moldovans meant that Hearts ended up drawing the match and

00:33due to TSC's remarkable comeback at home to NOAH meant that they finished 25th in the

00:39league table, missing out on goals scored in the top 24 and going out of Europe.

00:44This place was aghast at full time, lots of anger and ire directed at Neil Critchley,

00:50the manager and his players. Hearts are also bottom of the Premiership and while Europe

00:54has been their sanctuary this season from domestic travails, there is no hiding place

00:59for the Jambos. It's a dark times down Gorky. Hearts are massively underperforming and their

01:04supporters have had enough. We had chances, sack the board and Hart and McLovian, you're

01:08in the wrong hands. And unless fortunes turn round quickly it's going to be a real winter

01:13of discontent for a club that finished third by miles last season in the Premiership.

01:20A word has to go to PetroCup, the Moldovan side from the tiny city of Hincesti. They

01:26had nothing to play for but pride but did really well and showed admirable spirit to

01:29come back when they fell behind 2-1. But it's Hearts who will hog the headlines for all

01:36the wrong reasons. They are out of Europe, they've passed up the chance to break that

01:41long duck of continental football after Christmas. It finished here, Hearts 2, PetroCup 2.