Hearts 4-0 Hibernian

They went ahead through Rudi Skacel, who prodded the ball into the net after Roman Bednar's shot was saved.

A Paul Hartley penalty doubled the lead in the second half and Stephen Simmons scored a third with a well-placed effort from inside the box.

The rout was completed by Saul Mikoliunas, whose shot from the edge of the box deceived Zbigniew Malkowski.

The game started brightly and it was Hearts who first threatened the opposition goal.

Robbie Neilson flighted in a cross from the right and Hartley did well to acrobatically direct the ball goalwards, but Hibs keeper Malkowski made the save look easy.

But he could do nothing to prevent Hearts taking the lead after 13 minutes.

Hartley threaded the ball through for Bednar, and though his effort was saved, Skacel was able to force the ball over the line.

Hibs almost provided the perfect response, but Gary Caldwell's downward header was well kept out by Craig Gordon and Guillaume Beuzelin was unable to capitalise from the rebound.

Steven Pressley almost took advantage of a misjudgement in the air by Malkowski, but Gary Smith got back to clear the danger.

Hearts had been totally dominant, but Stephen Glass' long-range drive just before the interval wasn't far off target.

Hibs enjoyed their best spell of the game immediately after half-time, but the closest they came to a goal was a Kevin Thomson lob that landed narrowly wide of the post.

The visitors' hopes of getting back into the game were scuppered, though, when referee Stuart Dougal awarded Hearts a penalty after Glass' elbow made contact with the ball as he came under pressure from Hartley.

Paul Hartley and Saul Mikoliunas both got on the scoresheet
Paul Hartley and Saul Mikoliunas both got on the scoresheet

Hartley himself coolly slotted the spot kick past Malkowski.

A few minutes later, Bednar dragged a shot wide after racing clear of Smith, but a third goal did arrive on 71 minutes.

Beuzelin, trying to make an interception at the edge of his own box, succeeded only in knocking the ball into the path of Simmons, who swept a shot past the helpless Malkowski.

Skacel hit a fierce drive just past the post and Hartley curled a free kick wide as Hearts sought to increase their advantage even further.

It was Mikoliunas who finally achieved that with seven minuts remaining with a low drive that caught the beleaguered Malkowski out of position.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Webster, Pressley, McAllister, Mikoliunas, Hartley, Bednar (MacFarlane 74), Skacel, Brellier (Wallace 69), Elliot (Simmons 52).

Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Cesnauskis, Berra, Tierney.

Booked: Skacel, Bednar.

Goals: Skacel 13, Hartley 58 pen, Simmons 71, Mikoliunas 83.

Hibernian: Malkowski, Whittaker, Smith, Caldwell (Hogg 27), Murphy, Beuzelin, Stewart, Thomson, Glass (Riordan 63), O'Connor, Konte (Sproule 63).

Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Morrow, Murray, Shields.

Booked: O'Connor, Beuzelin, Whittaker.

Att: 16,459

Ref: S Dougal

Taken from the BBC