HEARTS NOT THROWN BY LIVI - McALLISTER

Hearts midfielder Jamie McAllister revealed the Jambos were fully aware of Livingston manager Richard Gough's futile attempt to baffle them in their Tennent's Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at Tynecastle.

The plan backfired spectacularly as Hearts scored two early goals after the Livi boss' surprise decision to play centre-half Greg Strong in attack alongside regular midfielder Craig Easton.

However, after just 10 minutes Hearts were 2-0 up through Lee Miller and McAllister and Gough quickly moved Strong back into defence and reshuffled his team.

The Almondvale side rallied in the second half and pulled a goal back through Easton but never really looked like taking the tie to a replay.

And the former Livingston player said: "The gaffer knew about their formation before the game and it was a strange one but it was a great start for us and it was nice to get my first goal against my old club.

"We were the better team in the first half and dominated but just could not get that third goal to kill them off.

"And credit to Livingston they came out in the second half and had a go at us."

Hearts took the lead after just 60 seconds when Almondvale defender Gustave Bahoken clumsily fouled Miller 35 yards from goal.

When McAllister's floated free-kick came into the Livi box it was Miller who out-jumped the static visiting defence to loop his header from 10 yards over goalkeeper Colin Meldrum.

The home side doubled their lead with a well-worked goal of stunning simplicity in the 10th minute.

Lithuanian midfielder Saulius Mikoliunas, who was easily the best player on the pitch, sprinted down the right to pick up a Robbie Neilson pass and his far-post cross was met by a McAllister bullet header past the helpless Meldrum.

The goalscorer revealed he had paid the price for winning through to his fifth semi-final after breaking two teeth in a challenge by Livi midfielder Gabor Vincze.

He said: "It was two chips out of my teeth and I spat them out. It was sore because I hit the ball to the left and he came in and caught me full on.

"But I am very fortunate that I have been to semi-finals with all the clubs that I have been at and hopefully we can go one step further and get to the final."

The Gorgie side can face either Hibs, Celtic or Dundee United in the semi-final with confidence if Mikoliunas shows the same form he did in the first half against the Almondvale side when he was behind most of the Gorgie attacks.

McAllister admitted the signing of the youngster in the transfer window has given the Tynecastle men a boost.

He said: "Miko has been a breath of fresh air. He is good on the ball, he is creative and gives us that extra dimension in attack, you give him the ball and he makes things happen.

"He has got great pace and he is two-footed as well, so he is a great addition to the team."

Gough is now left with a relegation battle to concentrate on but the former Scotland international claims he will take heart from his side's second-half performance.

He said: "We have got a hugely important game on Wednesday against Kilmarnock, then one against Dundee and then Motherwell and we need results in these games.

"But I will say it again, I have never given up on anything in my life and if the team plays like it did in the second half then we have got a good chance of avoiding relegation.

"But if we play like we played in the opening 10 minutes then we have not and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to work that out."

Taken from sportinglife.com