Hearts 7 Dunfermline 1

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

Stephane Adam scored his first goals since December 1999 to put Hearts on course for a crushing 7-1 defeat of Dunfermline at Tynecastle.

Adam took just five minutes to open the scoring before Andy Kirk and Colin Cameron gave the home side a 3-0 lead just after the half hour.

But Frenchman Adam grabbed his second goal six minutes before the break before Cameron, Kirk and Robert Tomaschek completed the scoring in the second period.

However the Frenchman was at the centre of concern before the end when he was stretchered off the field with a leg injury.

Jason Dair got a consolation goal for the visitors who left the pitch at the end looking shell-shocked.

Hearts were quick out of the trap and a Robbie Neilson long throw from the right found Adam, who controlled it ten yards from goal and blasted high into the net giving Dunfermline goalkeeper Marco Ruitenbeek no chance.

Dunfermline struggled to get into their stride but should have equalised in the 19th minute when an Ian Ferguson through ball found Stevie Crawford racing through on goal.

However the ex-Hibs striker hesitated and allowed Hearts defender Scott Severin to get a blocking challenge in at the expense of a corner.

Dunfermline manager Jimmy Calderwood could see his side were struggling and opted to change his playing system.

But it was the home side who benefited and in the 28th minute they doubled their lead.

Kirk played a short ball at the edge of the box to Adam and the Frenchman's shot was only partially saved by Ruitenbeek.

The ball was on its way over the line but Kirk followed in to make sure from close range.

Two minutes later, with the Dunfermline defence all at sea, Hearts got a third.

A long ball from Steven Pressley found Colin Cameron racing through and the Hearts skipper chipped the ball past Ruitenbeek from the edge of the box to effectively finish the game as a contest.

But the onslaught continued and in the 39th minute the home side scored a simple fourth.

Steven Boyack raced down the left and his cutback to the back post found Adam who volleyed in from close range.

Dunfermline's nightmare continued after only a minute of the second half when defender Justin Skinner failed to clear his lines.

Adam was on hand to fire in a shot from the edge of the box which Ruitenbeek could only palm out to the on-rushing Cameron who knocked the ball in for his second of the afternoon.

To their credit, the visitors continued to battle and four minutes later got a consolation goal.

Skinner picked up a Barry Nicholson pass at the edge of the Hearts box and slipped it to Dair who slotted past Hearts keeper Antti Niemi from ten yards.

But it was shooting practice for Hearts an on the hour mark Kirk made it 6-1.

The young striker worked a one-two with Tomaschek at the edge of the box and ran in to slip the ball under Ruitenbeek.

Minutes later, in a rare Dunfermline attack, Crawford brought out a great save from Niemi with a header from close range which the keeper did well to tip over for a corner.

But there was no stopping the Edinburgh side and in the 67th minute they made it seven when Tomaschek robbed Scott Thomson in defence and ran onto slip the ball past Ruitenbeek from just inside the box.

The rest of the match saw Hearts continually going forward looking for an eighth but Dunfermline held out and were clearly relieved to hear the final whistle.

Teams:

Hearts: Niemi, Neilson, Pressley, Severin, Boyack (Juanjo 43), Makel (McAnespie 54), Tomaschek, Cameron, Flogel, Adam (Durie 71), Kirk.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Murray.

Goals: Adam 5, Kirk 27, Cameron 31, Adam 39, Cameron 46, Kirk 59, Tomaschek 67.

Dunfermline: Ruitenbeek, McGroarty, Doesburg, Ferguson (Dijkhuizen 24), Skinner (Moss 61), Skerla, Crawford, Scott Thomson, Dair, Nicholson, Tod (Bullen 24).

Subs Not Used: Scott Y Thomson, Mason.

Goals: Dair 50.

Att: 11,251

Ref: A Freeland (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com