Hearts 5-0 Falkirk

Paul Hartley finished off a goalmouth scramble before Bairns midfielder Stephen O'Donnell was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Rudi Skacel blazed in a fine shot before teenage striker Calum Elliot stroked in his first goal for the club.

After the interval, substitute Michal Pospisil headed home and Elliot curled in a wonderful late strike.

Hearts made a blistering start to the game and could have been two goals up after just three minutes.

Falkirk goalkeeper Matt Glennon made a great reaction save in palming away Elliot's low shot.

Then Skacel was gifted a sight of goal by a poor headed back-pass from Craig Ireland but the Czech Republic international failed to capitalise.

Soon after, Falkirk striker Darryl Duffy was presented with an opportunity following a mistake by Takis Fyssas, but his low shot from an acute ankle smacked against goalkeeper Craig Gordon's legs.

Hearts forward Edgaras Jankauskas was then guilty of missing a sitter in the 13th minute after Elliot found him with a pinpoint cross.

But, after controlling the ball on his chest, the Lithuanian's tame shot landed in Glennon's arms.

The home side finally broke the deadlock in the 20th minute when Falkirk failed to clear and Hartley pounce on a loose ball to slot home.

Hartley opened the scoring at Tynecastle

Falkirk's problems worsened when O'Donnell was given his marching orders after picking up a second booking for a late challenge on Julien Brellier in the 23rd minute.

He had been cautioned earlier for a wild lunge at Hearts skipper Steven Pressley.

Hearts extended their lead in the 25th minute thanks to Skacel 15th goal of the season.

The midfielder sprinted across the 18-yard box before drilling a left-footed shot beyond Glennon high into the net.

The game was put beyond the visitors when Elliot added a third in the 41st minute after pouncing on to Andy Lawrie's dreadful error inside the box to pass the ball into the net in the six yard box.

In the second half, Pospisil replaced Jankauskas who immediately walked up the tunnel, clearly disappointed.

The Czech sub made his mark too as he notched number four in the 73rd minute.

Deividas Cesnauskis' cross was perfect for the marksman who bulleted a header past Glennon from 12 yards.

Hearts completed a five-star show in injury time as Elliot notched his brace with a superb strike from the edge of the box.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Fyssas, Cesnauskis, Hartley (McAllister 78), Brellier (MacFarlane 65), Skacel, Elliot, Jankauskas (Pospisil 69). Subs Not Used: Banks, Simmons, Berra, Wallace.

Booked: Cesnauskis. Goals: Hartley 20, Skacel 25, Elliot 41, Pospisil 73, Elliot 90.

Falkirk: Glennon, Lawrie, Ireland, Milne, McPherson, Gow (Moutinho 63), Lima, Scally, O'Donnell, Latapy (Steven Thomson 53), Duffy (McBreen 68). Subs Not Used: Ferguson, McStay, Rodrigues, O'Neil.

Sent Off: O'Donnell (23). Booked: O'Donnell, Lima, Milne, Steven Thomson, McBreen.

Att: 16,538

Ref: S Dougal

Taken from the BBC