LIFE is rarely dull when Uche Ikpeazu is around. But even by the big man’s standards, it was a hell of a day he had at Tynecastle yesterday.

Not only did he slug out a hugely entertaining battle with Aberdeen centre-halfs Andrew Considine and Scott McKenna all afternoon, but he missed an open goal, was booked for simulation – wrongly in the vehement opinion of his manager - scored the winner and was then knocked out cold moments later, leaving the ground on a stretcher.

If the forward needed to take a breather after it was all over and done with, he wasn’t alone. A whirlwind match had seen Aberdeen seize control during the first half and take the lead through Connor McLennan, and at that stage you would have got long odds on the home side turning it around.

That they did though, as an equaliser from the penalty spot from Sean Clare and then the vital second from that man Ikpeazu saw Aberdeen’s nine-game unbeaten away record brought to a shuddering halt. It was some afternoon, and there was only one man’s name on the lips of the crowd as they filtered out into sun-kissed Gorgie, with the celebrations tempered by the concern that a concussion may keep Ikpeazu out of the key matches ahead.

“I told him he had scored a hat-trick so he is quite happy,” joked his manager Craig Levein.

“If he is out for the coming games it will be a concern for us. I thought his play was fantastic today under what I thought was a lot of provocation.

“He loves scoring goals. He has not scored for a while and I think that was important to him today, particularly to get the winner after really having a tough afternoon and not getting much change, decision wise.”

It wasn’t just Ikpeazu cutting a frustrated figure in maroon during a first-half that the visitors dominated. Graeme Shinnie was back on his regular midfield beat after his horror show at left-back for Scotland, and along with the excellent Lewis Ferguson the Dons were bossing the midfield. It wasn’t long before they were ahead.

A corner from Niall McGinn was headed onto the top of the bar by Sam Cosgrove, and McLennan was first to react as he headed into the empty net with Zdenek Zlamal grounded.

The home fans were apoplectic any time that the ball went close to Ikpeazu as the hulking striker and either Scott McKenna or Andy Considine wrestled with him, but referee John Beaton was calling it correctly as he let the contests carry on for the most part.

The second half was a vastly different story. Hearts almost got back into the game immediately, and there wasn’t a sole inside the stadium who could believe they hadn’t drawn level.

A cross to the edge of the area caused mass confusion in the Aberdeen defence, with goalkeeper Joe Lewis failing to collect under pressure from Jamie Brandon. Both players hit the deck and the ball popped out to Ikpeazu, but with the goal gaping, he somehow steered his effort wide of the target.

That was the cue for the first period of sustained pressure from the home side in the match, and they were handed another golden opportunity to level when Considine was penalised for a trip on Jake Mulraney as the winger tip-toed his way across the edge of the area and referee Beaton pointed to the spot. Clare stepped up and buried it coolly to Lewis’s left.

The home side thought they had another penalty moments later as McGinn’s poor backpass sparked a race between Ikpeazu and Lewis. The Hearts man got his foot to the ball first and then went tumbling to the ground, but this time Beaton waved away the claims and booked Ikpeazu for simulation. Levein called it “the biggest stonewaller you will ever see.”

It was all Hearts now though, and they wouldn’t be denied. Ikpeazu was at the heart of the action again, but he was given a helping hand as McKenna misjudged a ball into the striker, allowing him the time to set himself and curl a shot beyond Lewis.

His wild celebrations were something to behold, but the joyous scenes were silenced moments after the restart as an accidental clash of heads between Ikpeazu and Ferguson left he Hearts man motionless on the turf. He looked in real trouble and had the legs of a punch-drunk boxer as he staggered from the field.

Any shared concern for the big man was soon dispelled mind you as a mass brawl broke out following an incident between Considine and Clare, capping off a wonderfully entertaining day.

“First half we looked like a team used to travelling the country and imposing ourselves on the game,” said a deflated Derek McInnes. “We had strength, confidence, deserved to get the first goal - everything about it was what I wanted.

“Ikpeazu caused us more problems in the second half, never more so than the second goal.

“We were firmly in charge of the situation but allowed him to score from a long straight ball - good centre forward play, poor defending. he shouldn’t get the opportunity.”