HEARTS 3 ALBION ROVERS 0

CHEEKY Jose Quitongo got Hearts off the hook again as the Premier side eased past Cup minnows Albion Rovers.

Seven days ago the tiny Angolan popped up with seconds to go to snatch a point from title rivals Celtic.

And yesterday he appeared from nowhere again to unlock the brave Third Division side's defence and end an hour's anxiety.

Though Hearts never really looked in danger of losing the game, they made heavy weather of earning their place in the quarter- final.

Albion keeper Stevie Ross was a hero for the Third Division side, after his two penalty shoot-out saves against Livingston earned the Tynecastle bonanza.
And up front, 33-year-old Willie Watters, now with his ninth senior club, had a youthful effort in each half.

But after Colin Cameron added a second from the penalty spot, part time legs started to go and Quitongo added a third.

Steve Fulton tried to find a quick gear right from the start when he sent Neil McCann in behind the defence, and his cross was headed inches wide by Colin Cameron.

Thomas Flogel was just wide with a left-foot drive after Hamilton's header fell to him just inside the box in the 20th minute.

Hearts were enjoying all the play but David Murie and Gary Neysmith both saw 25 yard drives blocked as Rovers dug in for a long slog.

Then a Hamilton cross from the left was missed by Martin Melvin at the near post and the ball flew untouched across goal with Quitongo just inches away.

The Angolan winger worked himself some space on the right after 34 minutes and when his cross was headed in by Flogel, Ross comfortably held the ball under the bar.

Hearts were almost stunned ten minutes before half-time when Ian Harty found Watters on the edge of the area, and Gilles Rousset needed two attempts to smother the striker's fierce left foot shot.

Two minutes after the break Watters turned on the edge of the penalty area and found room to send in a left-foot drive which Rousset held high up to his right.

Ross was earning his corn in goal and in the 52nd minute he raced from his line to save at Flogel's feet.

McCann missed a great chance for Hearts on 54 minutes when he collected Fulton's pass, but instead of finding Hamilton, who was completely unmarked in front of goal, he over-hit his cross.

But the relief rang around Tynecastle when Hearts finally broke through in the 60th minute. Fulton once again supplied a superb pass to McCann, and after his cross looped over Ross at the far post, Quitongo stooped to nod the ball in.

Two minutes later McCann cut through the heart of the Albion defence but Ross once again was alert to the danger and came off his line to block the ball at the winger's feet.

The keeper was beaten again, however in 66 minutes, when Ronnie Cole pulled down Hamilton on the by-line, and Cameron placed the penalty wide of Ross to the keeper's left.

Rovers almost snatched a consolation with nine minutes left when a Sandy Ross header was blocked by Rousset and when Watters pounced upon the loose ball six feet out, the Hearts keeper kept the scoresheet blank with his second save.

And five minutes from time Quitongo, broke free on the right and after cleverly pulling Ross from his line, slammed a right-foot shot high into the net.