Relief coursed through Lawrence Shankland’s body after scoring both goals in Hearts’ 2-0 win over Dundee. A run of one goal in 21 games prior to the weekend was distinctly unlike the predatory centre-forward, whose tallies of 28 and 31 goals respectively in the last two season’s earned him iconic status at Tynecastle Park.
A precise header and instinctive left-foot finish were the highlights of a strong Hearts display inspired by Shankland, who looked to have recaptured some of his previous swagger. Those goals propelled his team off the bottom of the Premiership table. They were also the perfect response to a particularly difficult 10 days for the player.
A missed penalty-kick against Cercle Brugge in the UEFA Conference League prompted a minority of Hearts supporters to aim a stinging chant at Shankland inside the Jan Breydel Stadium. As his contract runs towards expiry with no sign of an extension, he endured one of his difficult nights in football in Belgium. The sight of him trudging out of the stadium disconsolately underlined his emotions after sending a late penalty over the crossbar with Cercle leading 1-0.
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