What now for Critchley & Hearts after Hampden loss?

The possibility of a “toxic Tynecastle”, fans “voting with their feet” and questions being asked of head coach Neil Critchley amid a battle to stay clear of relegation trouble.

The implications of Hearts’ Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Aberdeen have the potential to run deep no matter how brave their display was in the face of much Hampden adversity.

Former Tynecastle striker and manager John Robertson suggested the game “kind of sums up the season” for Hearts.

“Close but not quite close enough,” he said on Sportsound. “Close to getting into the knockout stages of the Conference League, close to getting into the top six, close to getting it to penalties today, but not quite close enough. “

However, Robertson thought there was little more Critchley could have done, given Hearts were reduced to 10 men just before the break – when Michael Steinwender was sent off for a professional foul – then Cammy Devlin picked a second yellow card shortly before the Oday Dabbagh’s late winner.

“The first red, you couldn’t really argue,” he said. “The second, there’s no intent from Devlin, he’s just trying to hook the ball away and can’t see the Aberdeen player.

“They went to a 5-3-1, defended bravely and had sporadic attacks. It looked like they would get to the penalty kicks, but it was just pure numbers in the end.

“For the amount of bravery and effort they put in, they didn’t get what they deserved. Aberdeen weren’t particularly great today, but they are through. “

Fellow pundit Leanne Crichton agreed with Robertson’s pre-match suggestion that Tynecastle “could become a very toxic place until the end of the season”.

“For Hearts, it’s a real sucker punch after also not making the top six,” the former Scotland midfielder said. “A lot of home fans might decide to vote with their feet. “

BBC Scotland chief sports writer Tom English thought there were “nuances” to Hearts’ latest failure.

“I feel for Hearts because they emptied themselves with 10 men, then nine. They defended heroically for much of the afternoon.

Critchley gave a confident “yes” when asked if he will be given time to steer his Hearts side to the “positive future” he envisages.

His team head into the five remaining bottom six league games on the back of four games without a victory.

“It really hurts,” the head coach told BBC Scotland. “Gutted for the players, gutted for the supporters.

“I thought we were brilliant. We were the better team in the first half and then to defend as well as we did for as long as we did with 10 men, I thought we showed real grit and character.

“The least we deserved was to take it to penalties. “

One more point and they would have had an outside chance of European qualification, but last week’s goalless draw with Motherwell means they are now only six points clear of Dundee in the relegation play-off spot.

“I am not concerned because I see what we’ve got in the dressing room,” Critchley insisted. “We are gutted right now, but we’ve got more than enough fight and character to be fine.

Critchley thought decisions by referee John Beaton turned the game.

Steinwender was ordered off for tripping Topi Keskinen some 45 yards from goal as he tore towards the Hearts box and Devlin was shown a second yellow shortly before Aberdeen’s extra-time winner.

“I have to be careful because I’ll get into trouble, but the red came out very quickly and he was a long way from the goal,” Critchley said of the first-half dismissal.

“The second one has cost us the opportunity to go to penalties. Cammy shouldn’t have been booked initially, then the second one, the player just gets in front of him. The referee has to show a bit of understanding of the situation. “

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who scored a first half own goal when Pape Gueye’s header struck him after cannoning against the bar, agreed.

“We’re pretty angry,” he said. “I thought we were doing well. We were going to take it to penalty kicks and take our chances there.

“Unfortunately, the big moment comes from a second yellow card for Cammy. I feel a little bit let down by that, but he’s got that split second to make that decision.

“The referee felt that was a yellow card. We obviously don’t. “

Critchley insists that “one game can’t change a strategy” as he looks to the longer term.

With four teams below them, Hearts should have enough of a cushion to avoid that relegation play-off, but they must dust themselves down quickly.