HERE was a stirring testimony to the enduring appeal of the Tennent’s Scottish Cup, even if Craig Levein and his shellshocked troops will be scarcely inclined to agree. Last weekend, the cash-strapped Highland club were trounced 3-0 by Airdrie in the First Division and have done little this season to indicate that a shock of this magnitude was on the cards.

Yet, on an appalling afternoon in conditions which unquestionable suited them, they were immense and thoroughly merited another historic cup victory over opponents whose abject display left one struggling to recall that they were beginning to dream of European qualification only last week.

Steve Paterson, the Inverness manager, whose inspiration has lifted this team throughout all their cash-flow problems, raised his arms in exultation at the denouement and nobody but the most curmudgeonly Hearts supporter could begrudge this stalwart servant of Inverness a chance to celebrate before Caley’s financial woes resurface at the end of the season.

Yet it was typical of Paterson that he should choose to single out the spirit of collectivism and opportunism of his players as the factors which ensured their passage into the next round.

None of those in blue shirts were any more influential than Bobby Mann, the Caley captain who performed as if his life depended on it, and with Stuart McCaffrey toiling assiduously to stem the threat of Ricardo Fuller, the visitors were eventually able to snuff out Hearts attacking aspirations, whilst capitalising ruthlessly on a defence shorn of the invaluable Steven Pressley through illness and Kevin McKenna, otherwise engaged with Canada in the Gold Cup.

Yet one felt at the outset that Hearts should have been able to surmount these travails had they shown the same work ethic which has characterised their form during their recent resurgence. However, as a rueful Levein later admitted: "We’re not talented enough to play at half pace. They were first to most of the balls in midfield and they were well worth their win."

All in all, it was a reminder that nothing should ever be taken for granted in this competition, especially on a dreadful surface, laden with ruts, and with the rain sleeting down from the skies over Gorgie, as though the heavens had chosen to feel really sorry for themselves.

From the outset, Caley seemed intent on recording a similar shock to their famous defeat of Celtic in Glasgow two years ago and they were a very real match for their SPL rivals in this maiden meeting between these two teams.

Indeed, with the resilient Mann a tower of strength at the centre of Caley’s fortifications, and Russell Duncan, Paul Ritchie and McCaffrey elusive, sniping figures in the visitors’ cause, there were ample early warning signs of what lay in store for Hearts.

The initial hint arrived when the ubiquitous Duncan’s cross found Ritchie completely unmarked inside the Hearts penalty area, and but for a splendid save from Antti Niemi, the significant travelling support would have been cheering even quicker than actually materialised.

‘They were immense and thoroughly merited another historic Scottish Cup victory’

But, in the event, they only had to wait 25 minutes before the visiting fans erupted in noise when Ross Tokely, a veteran [albeit only 22 years old] of the win over Celtic, pouched a magnificent goal at the climax of a wonderful move sparked by Roy McBain, who fed on to Ritchie, with the latter delivering a treacherous cross into the Hearts danger zone. At first glance, one imagined that Austin McCann might have handled the situation better, but nonetheless, Tokely’s screamer of an effort was worthy of a Batistuta or Beckham.

At this stage, Hearts had dithered and dallied to no significant effect, beyond a typically rasping strike from Fuller, which required a splendid block from Nicky Walker, now 39, but here on his return to Tynecastle, revelling in this opportunity to inflict embarrassment on his old employers.

As you may have envisaged, the home faithful had grown tetchy and frustrated with the constant string of botch-ups perpetrated by their heroes, but Hearts suddenly carved out a chink of light by equalising on the brink of the interval.

It was a messy affair, an ecstasy of fumbling in the aftermath of Stevie Fulton’s corner, from which Tommi Gronlund shot into a wall of players, prior to Gary Wales firing past Walker at close range.

Yet if anyone thought that Caley would subsequently buckle under the pressure, that notion was rapidly dispelled when the action resumed with David Bagan on for the injured Charlie Christie.

First, the underdogs seized a brace of corners and almost exposed the deficiencies in Hearts’ rearguard. Then, to the sound of consternation from threequarters of the 12,000 crowd, Inverness grabbed the lead again in the 55th minute with a sublime goal from their most prolific scorer, Dennis Wyness, who swivelled on a shilling, turned Stephan Mahe inside out and crashed his shot past Niemi.

Levein had clearly seen enough, and replaced Andy Webster with Andy Kirk as Hearts attempted to find renewed enterprise, while Tyencastle descended in to a bear pit of abuse.

But though the locals were incandescent at some strident challenges from the Inverness back three and the tension in the stands was now tangible, Inverness remained a potent threat on the counter and it was hardly surprising when they swept forward and wrapped up this latest day to remember in the 73rd minute, courtesy of Bagan, who surged beyond Gronlund’s efforts at checking his progress and swerved beyond his markers to leave Niemi clutching at air as the Ayrshireman, who was a member of Kilmarnock’s cup-winning team in 1997, completed Hearts’ misery.

Hearts were shattered and while Kirk should have narrowed the deficit in the dying moments, there was only one conclusion once Bagan had danced his waltz of delight. Who knows how far they will go, but Paterson’s are on the march yet again.

Taken from the Scotsman