Hearts 1 Gretna 1 AET (Hearts won 4-2 on pens)

By Chris Roberts, PA Sport

Gretna's fairytale season came to an unhappy ending as they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Hearts in a dramatic Tennent's Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park.

The Second Division champions - already qualified for next season's UEFA Cup - looked dead and buried at half-time after Rudi Skacel had given Hearts a richly-deserved lead.

But Robbie Neilson denied David Graham a certain equaliser with an incredible saving tackle under his crossbar before Ryan McGuffie forced the ball past Craig Gordon for the equaliser after his penalty had been saved.

That set up 30 more dramatic minutes - which saw Hearts' semi-final hero Paul Hartley sent off for two bookings - before penalties got underway.

Hearts kept their cool to fire home four with Derek Townsley and Gavin Skelton both failing to convert for shell-shocked Gretna.

Gretna looked vulnerable from crosses and Hearts skipper Steven Pressley let them off the hook in the fifth minute when Hartley picked him out at the back post but he headed wide.

The favourites came within inches of taking an early lead after seven minutes.

Takis Fyssas' effort ricocheted to Deividas Cesnauskis and his shot came back off the upright from 20 yards out.

Gretna continued to be penned in and Gretna goalkeeper Alan Main saved powerful drives from Skacel and Edgaras Jankauskas to keep his side in the game.

Bednar was the next to go close when he headed Neilson's cross over from eight yards when he should have done much better.

But Hearts number one Craig Gordon caused his side a moment of concern in the 17th minute when his clearance was charged down by James Grady but Gretna failed to take advantage of the situation.

Normal service was resumed after that incident as the capital men went so close that a section of their fans thought they had scored.

Bruno Aguiar cut in from the left and unleashed a fierce right-foot shot which Mark Birch deflected just past the angle of the goal.

An uncharacteristically heavy touch from Hartley let Gretna off the hook in the 25th minute as the ball ran away from him into the hands of the onrushing Main following Skacel's flick-on.

Main's Hearts counterpart was also called into action moments later when Gordon acrobatically threw himself to his right to tip Gavin Skelton's free-kick, from wide of the area, over the crossbar

Bednar should have opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Cesnauskis picked him out at the back post but the frontman headed straight at Main.

However, Skacel fired Hearts into the lead in the 40th minute as Neilson's throw was allowed to bounce all the way to him at the far post and he blasted a left-foot shot into the far corner of the net.

The Czech hinted he would be on his way in the summer as he exposed a T-shirt which read 'I will never forget. Thanks Jambos' and was booked by Dougie McDonald.

The jubilant Hearts supporters sang the name of majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov at the start of the second period.

But Steve Tosh should have silenced them in the 49th minute when he latched on to Kenny Deuchar's header only to pull his right-foot shot wide of Gordon's upright from just 14 yards.

Gretna manager Rowan Alexander made a change in the 55th minute with Graham replacing David Nicholls.

Bednar should have killed off the Borderers but fired wide having been put clean through by Jankauskas.

He almost paid a heavy price when Graham skipped past some poor challenges and went past Gordon only to be thwarted by Neilson's heroics as he got back to intercept under the crossbar.

Gretna sensed their opponents were rattled and Deuchar headed wide from six yards before Ivanauskas made two changes with Julien Brellier and Michal Pospisil coming on for Bednar and Aguiar.

But there was more drama in the 75th minute when Gretna won a penalty after Cesnauskis had fouled John O'Neil in the area.

McGuffie watched his spot-kick saved by Gordon to his right but he followed up to slide the loose ball into the net.

Skacel came within inches of putting Hearts in front again as Jankauskas' cross just evaded his outstretched foot.

Hartley was then holding his heads in his hands as he steered Fyssas' cross just over the crossbar from nine yards.

Hearts needed Gordon to keep the scores level with seven minutes remaining as he made a great save to deny McGuffie.

Hearts looked to have shaken off their nerves when extra-time got underway.

Skacel saw his long-range free-kick clip Tosh on its way past the post before Jankauskas missed a sitter.

Mikoliunas picked out the Lithuania international perfectly at the near post but he somehow headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Skacel then hit the post and Main produced a great save, down to his right post, to keep Hartley's shot out.

Referee McDonald should have given Hearts a penalty with five minutes of extra time remaining.

Main clipped the legs of Skacel as he went past him in the box but the official waved away the protests from the bemused Hearts players before booking Fyssas for his reaction.

Hartley was also shown a yellow card moments later for dissent but the referee's earlier decision saved Gretna.

The Scotland man was then sent off for kicking out at Derek Townsley.

The veteran Townsley soon faced his own heartache as the penalties got underway as he and Skelton missed and Pressley, Neilson, Skacel and Pospisil all hit the net to spark tears of joy for Hearts.

Teams

Hearts Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Tall, Fyssas,Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 86), Aguiar (Brellier 72), Hartley,Skacel, Bednar (Pospisil 70), Jankauskas.

Subs Not Used: Banks, Berra.

Sent Off: Hartley (120).

Booked: Skacel, Fyssas, Hartley.

Goals: Skacel 39.

Gretna Main, Birch, Townsley, Innes, Nicholls (Graham 55),McGuffie, Tosh, O'Neil, Skelton, Grady, Deuchar (McQuilken 103).

Subs Not Used: Mathieson, Berkeley, Henderson.

Booked: Birch, Tosh.

Goals: McGuffie 76.

Att: 51,232

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com