MAKELA'S UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS

FINNISH striker Juho Makela was the Hearts hero as he made the most of a rare start to slam home a hat-trick and ease the Jambos past their lower-league opponents.

The former HJK Helsinki forward netted his first goal of the season with 10 minutes of the first half remaining to ease the pressure a little on under-fire coach Valdas Ivanauskas.

Makela, 23, didn't have to wait long for his second strike when he doubled the visitors' lead a minute into the second half.

And after Second Division strugglers Alloa had been reduced to 10 men following a red card for Chris Townsley, Makela made it a night to remember by completing his treble eight minutes from time.

A sublime lob by Bruno Aguiar rounded off a good night for Hearts who were rarely troubled.

They left out Scotland trio Craig Gordon, Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley for the trip to Recreation Park.

Lithuanian head coach Ivanuauskas handed compatriot Kestutis Ivaskevicius his debut in midfield as Hearts made a total of 11 changes to the team that defeated Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.

Alloa went into the tie sitting bottom of the Second Division, having lost their last five league matches on the spin.

In fact, Allan Maitland's men's last victory came in the previous round of this competition against Ross County.

Severe traffic hold-ups on the Kincardine Bridge and approach roads meant kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes. And it was the home side who were quicker out of the traps when the action eventually started.

Former Hearts attacker Robert Sloan fired over a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box which Christophe Berra hacked away for a corner.

Hearts then missed two decent opportunities to go ahead in eight minutes when Makela slashed the ball high and wide after being set up neatly by Roman Bednar.

Then Bednar back-heeled tamely into Alloa keeper Allan Creer's arms after good set-up play by Mirsad Beslija.

The home side gave the visitors cause for concern after 32 minutes when Sloan's free-kick was powered goalwards by Graeme Brown but fell inches wide of Steve Banks' right-hand post.

Hearts took the lead after 34 minutes when Takis Fyssas' long ball into the box was met by Makela who placed a header beyond the advancing Creer.

Referee Charlie Richmond booked Sloan for persistent fouling before Hristos Karipidis left the field to be replaced by 18-year-old Alan Lithgow for his full Hearts debut.

And at the start of the second half another 18-year-old, Eggert Jonsson, replaced Beslija for his first outing in maroon.

The second period was just seconds old when Makel doubled Hearts' advantage.

Makela latched on to a sublime defence-splitting pass from former Scotland international Neil McCann and took a touch before squeezing the ball low past Creer and the match was effectively over as a contest.

McCann then really ought to have claimed his first goal for Hearts since his return to the club last January.

But the ex-Rangers and Southampton winger somehow contrived to hit the knees of McKeown from six yards when it looked easier to score.

Jonsson was then booked after 58 minutes when he caught McColligan with a flailing elbow and a boot but there was no malicious intent.

Kestutis Ivaskevicius also had his name taken after the hour mark as Andrius Velicka replaced the ineffective Bednar.

Townsley had his name taken for a crude foul on Velicka in 70 minutes.

Then Hearts' Greek defender Fyssas earned a yellow card for a mixture of dissent and persistent fouling in 71 minutes.

Things went from bad to worse for Alloa after 78 minutes when Ross Hamilton's header was cleared off the line by the head of Lithgow and Townsley saw red for his second bookable offence for a foul on McCann who had an effort ruled out for offside seconds later.

Makela completed his hat-trick after 82 minutes when he rolled the ball into an empty net after following up his initial shot which was saved by Creer.

Bruno Aguiar chipped a superb lob from 22 yards to make it four.

ALLOA - Creer, Townsley, Ovenstone, McKeown, Forrest (Bolochoweckyj 53), McColligan, Hamilton, Grant, Brown (Macaulay 78), McClune (Hazeldine 67), Sloan. Subs not used: Comrie, Macaulay, Hutton.

HEARTS - Banks, Neilson, Fyssas, Karipidis (Lithgow 43), Berra, Ivaskevicius, McCann, Aguiar, Makela, Beslija (Jonsson 46), Bednar (Velicka 60). Subs not used: Thorainsson, MacDonald.

Referee - C Richmond.

Taken from the Daily Record