By Simon Stone, PA Sport

Controversy reigned at Palmerston Park as Hearts survived a scare to advance to the last 16 of the CIS Insurance Cup.

The tie swung on a 60-second period midway through the second period.

With the scores level, Second Division Queen of the South thought they had gone in front for a second time when top-scorer Stephen Mallan fired home from 10 yards.

The home fans were leaping in jubilation only to realise that Dallas had blown his whistle for a foul in back play which no-one apart from the World Cup referee had seen.

Hearts immediately went up to the other end and scored themselves, Scott Severin lashing home after the home defence had failed to clear Gary Naysmith's near-post cross.

Darren Jackson wrapped up Hearts victory with his second of the night three minutes from time but it was cruel luck on Queens, who had led their Premier League opponents at the break.

Skipper Stephen Leslie was the man who threatened a shock win for the home side, holding his nerve to slip the ball under Gilles Rousset after Bryan Caldwell had set him free inside the area after 14 minutes.

Jackson levelled within a minute of his arrival as a half-time substitute for the ineffective Juanjo, finishing off at the second attempt after Andrew Aitken had failed to clear his lines.

Hearts weren't quite prepared for the barrage of pace which hit them in the first 20 minutes.

Lanky central defender Kevin James found himself unable to respond as theimpish Queens strikeforce snapped around his ankles.

Former Hearts junior Bryan Caldwell was a particular thorn in the visitors defence, running at speed to turn the three man back-line inside out.

It was a gap James had left behind which Leslie ran into to open the scoring and, for five minutes, it didn't look as though going a goal down was enough to galvanise Hearts into action.

Heads began to drop when Gary McSwegan twice hit the post and Lee Makel was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card when he crudely hacked down Leslie from behind.

Even the normally calm head of skipper Colin Cameron failed to spark his misfiring side.

The Scotland midfield man had one angled volley tipped over by John Hillcoat but was then handed a yellow card by referee Hugh Dallas for diving inside the box when he appeared to be caught by Andrew Aitken.

Hearts went into the interval well on top but without ever threatening the equaliser they so desperately needed.

Jackson found the answer within a minute of his arrival, although strangely Hearts then eased off and allowed the Second Division side a chance to catch their breath when they should have been going for the jugular.

David Lilley was the third man into Dallas' book for a foul on Paul Ritchie by which time McSwegan had fired a decent opportunity into the empty terrace behind Hillcoat's goal.

Cameron struck a superb volley against the bar as the visitors continued to carry the greater threat.

But the Doonhamers were about to get their second wind, only for Dallas to stop them in their tracks.

A goal behind when they should have been 2-1 up, Queens continued to fight on.

They forgot the tiredness which had seen them spend almost a quarter of the game pumping long balls down the grateful throat of James, who could play in the air all day if required, and once more attacked on the floor.

Gary Naysmith scrambled away Caldwell's far post cross as the home side piled men into the Hearts box.

Gilles Rousset pulled off a magnificent near post side to deny Leslie an equaliser with nine minutes remaining but the chances were running out for the gallant Second Division outfit.

Jackson rubbed salt into the gaping wound with his second of the night six minutes from time to complete a victory his side were fortunate to record.

Teams:

Queen of South: Hillcoat, Lilley, Kerr, Rowe, Aitken, Cleeland, Harvey (Findlay 76), Leslie, Adams (Bailey 75), Mallan,Caldwell.

Subs Not Used: Robinson.Booked: Lilley.Goals: Leslie 14.

Hearts: Rousset, Pressley, Naysmith, Locke, James, Ritchie, McSwegan (Quitongo 90), Makel (Fulton 77), Carricomdo (Jackson 45), Cameron, Severin.

Booked: Makel, Cameron.

Goals: Jackson 46, Severin 70, Jackson 85.

Att: 5,180

Ref: Hugh Dallas (Scotland).


Taken from sportinglife.com