Hearts 4-0 Dundee United

United' Noel Hunt had the ball in the net but was ruled offside before Andrius Velicka's effort deflected off defender Alan Archibald.

Finnish forward Juho Makela turned in a second from a Mirsad Beslija cross.

Paul Hartley added a third a minute from normal time from the penalty spot after Beslija was felled and Jamie Mole slotted in the fourth seconds later.

Makela, Velicka and Beslija, along with Ibrahim Tall, Takis Fyssas and Bruno Aguiar, had all came into the Hearts side following their midweek Uefa Cup exit.

Robbie Neilson, Lee Wallace, Deividas Cesnauskis and Jamie Mole dropped to the bench, while Mauricio Pinilla was suspended and Julien Brellier missed out.

United made just one change, with the injured Steven Robb making way for Craig Conway.

And the more settled side pushed forward, Noel Hunt's volley forcing Craig Gordon to pull off a superb stop.

United came closer midway through the half when Stuart Duff headed against the bar after Conway's cross found him in space at the back post after a short corner.

The visitors had the ball in the net after Duff had seen a header saved by Gordon, but the offside flag went up after Hunt had netted the rebound.

Hearts scored in the 30th minute with their first decent chance.

Saulius Mikoliunas slipped the ball through for Velicka and the striker's shot deflected in off Archibald's leg.

Mirsad Beslija and Andrius Velicka celebrate at Tynecastle
Mirsad Beslija and Andrius Velicka were instrumental

Mikoliunas then blazed over after Beslija had a 20-yard shot pushed away by Derek Stillie.

Hearts went two ahead when Beslija sent in a brilliant cross from the right that Makela side-footed home from 10 yards.

Velicka almost threaded Hartley through at the start of the second half before Beslija's 20-yard volley was blocked.

Barry Robson ran at the Hearts defence and his 20-yard shot whistled just past the far post.

Deividas Cesnauskis struck the bar from 25 yards moments after coming off the Hearts bench.

Robson again tried his luck from long-range and was only a yard wide before Duff also had a long-range effort miss the target.

Robson curled a free-kick inches over before Hearts made sure of the points with two late goals.

Beslija was brought down in the box by Christian Kalvenes and Hartley slotted home the penalty.

Within a minute, Roman Bednar set up fellow substitute Jamie Mole for a simple fourth goal.

Hearts: Gordon, Tall, Pressley, Berra, Fyssas, Beslija, Hartley, Aguiar, Mikoliunas (Cesnauskis 56), Velicka (Mole 84), Makela (Bednar 61).
Subs Not Used: Banks, Neilson, Wallace, Zaliukas.

Goals: Archibald 30 og, Makela 39, Hartley 89 pen, Mole 89.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, Proctor, McCracken, Archibald, Kalvenes, Conway (Samuel 61), Kerr, Cameron, Robson, Hunt, Duff.
Subs Not Used: McLean, Mair, Brewster, Kenneth, Easton, Smith.

Booked: Kerr.

Att: 16,849

Ref: E Smith

Taken from the BBC