Frankie Kent star on 'strange' night and Hearts' best player

That’s according to defender Frankie Kent, who got the scoring under way at Tynecastle on Wednesday night with his first goal of the season.

Hearts ended the night 3-0 winners against Falkirk which on the full-time whistle would have been enough to take a three-point lead to Celtic Park on the final day title-decider.

However, Martin O’Neill’s men were awarded a penalty deep into injury-time for a contentious handball to make it 3-2 and take the champions to within a point of the league leaders.

It was a surreal evening in Gorgie. Delirious cheers during the first half from the home end when very little was going on in front of them suggested Motherwell had taken the lead. Another one later in the half turned out to be a false alarm.

Hearts went into the game a point ahead of Celtic. They were two points ahead when Motherwell took the lead. Kent’s goal put them four points clear before Daizen Maeda’s equaliser at Fir Park cut it to three.

After the break, Benjamin Nygren’s goal put Celtic a point behind again, Liam Gordon’s equaliser meant Hearts were three points ahead again, until Kelechi Iheanacho converted from the spot.

Meaning it's as you were going into the final-day title decider.

“Obviously you hear the noise from the crowd and I think there was a couple of roars. So on the pitch we thought it might have been 2-0 to [Motherwell],” said Kent. 

“But then it filtered through and then we scored our goal.

“But it's a strange game in terms of trying to get information of what's going on in the other game. 

“I think you could see at the end we were trying to push on and get more goals to give ourselves the best chance leading up to the weekend. But, yeah, it was a good game overall."

The full-time scenes at Tynecastle during a rollercoaster 2025/26 have more often than not brought an outpouring of joy. It should have been the case on Wednesday after Hearts completed the season unbeaten at home and still top of the league going into the final day.

Instead, there was a brief period when the players gathered in front of the dugouts before hearing the news that Celtic had been awarded a penalty.

It meant a slightly dampened atmosphere when the players did their lap of honour and got their families down to the pitch.

“It was just anticipation and waiting to see what was actually going on,” said Kent. “And then the news filtered through that they'd got a penalty.

“But, listen, our task doesn't really change. We're going to go there and try and win a game. So that's how we've got to have our mindset and everyone's looking forward to it.

“I think you've seen it throughout the whole season. 

“All the evidence is there to say that. We've got huge belief in that changing room around the squad, around the club at the moment.

“It's a great feeling. So we want to go to that game and do as best as we can. We know what we've got in that changing room and we're full of confidence and positivity.

“We can't control anything going on elsewhere. We controlled what we could. We got the game won, we scored three goals and put ourselves in a strong position, the best position possible. So it's all eyes on the weekend."

The centre-back added: “If anyone would have said it to you down to the last day, you win a game and you're champions, we would have definitely taken it. 

“So it's all positive and that's what we've got to go into the game feeling, with that mindset.

“Like I said, that changing room is special and to be part of something as special as this season has been… but obviously we want to go one step further and get it done.”

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After a nervy start to the game, Hearts settled into their rhythm and were ahead when Kent headed in the opener around the half-hour mark.

Cammy Devlin and Blair Spittal rounded off the scoring in an assured performance, something that will give confidence going into Saturday.

Kent feels he should have already got off the mark this season, a campaign that has been frustrating for him in certain respects due to his lack of game time.

It is something the 30-year-old hasn’t really experienced in his career, but he has no complaints given the form of Craig Halkett and Stuart Findlay, the former of which Kent says has been Hearts’ best player.

“It was my first goal this season and I've been quite disappointed really,” said Kent. “I should have been scoring a few more goals with the chances that I get. 

“But to see that one go in and obviously the night that it was, yeah, it was really good.

“It's been a difficult season for me personally, not playing as much as I could. But listen, when the team's winning and Halks is playing as well as he could and Stu as well, it's all about just trying to help the team, help the squad as much as I can. 

“I feel like that's been a massive part of our success this season in terms of the whole squad being utilised and used.

“And I think with everyone being ready, because there has been changes throughout the season, there's been injuries and stuff, and I feel like we've coped with it so well. 

“And yeah, listen, it's so unfortunate with what happened to Halks. I mean, he's probably been our best player this season.

“But this is football and when things like this come up, you've got to be ready.

“It's been hard for me because I haven't ever really been in this situation in my career.

“So, to just make sure that my body's ready and staying up to it and trying to wait. 

“I've actually come on quite a few times in the league this season as a sub to try and see the game out and stuff like that. 

“So I think that's helped and obviously getting on the last couple of games and getting up to the speed of things has helped.

“It’s all about just staying as ready as you can and professional because you never know when your chance might come.”

The Englishman will be needed again this weekend in what will be the biggest game of his career. 

Hearts go to Celtic Park knowing a draw will be enough to become Scottish Premiership champions. 

“It would be amazing, amazing,” added Kent. “Very, very special and unforgettable, unbelievable… everything you can say about it. So I’m fully focused on that now.

“I've had a promotion. That was very special with a very special group of players and my last team at Peterborough. 

“But I think with the whole situation in terms of what we are as a club, going up against everything that we've gone up against this season and how well we've done, this will top everything, definitely.”