Wilson keeps his head to sink Hearts

Dunfermline's extraordinary exploits in the Scottish Cup continued to confound almost universal expectations, this elimination of the holders from the last 16 following their victory over Rangers in the third round.

The Fife side's achievements in the knockout competition are a grotesque reflection of their league form, adrift at the bottom of the league and long odds - on for relegation. In truth, they did not look much better than a struggling team before the stoppage-time goal that left Hearts dumbfounded.

It was from a short free-kick by substitute Owen Morrison that Adam Hammill delivered a cross from the left. It seemed as if it could drop in at the far post untouched by challengers, but his team-mate Scott Wilson was just ahead of defender Marius Zaliukas in the final scramble. Considering what had gone before, it was a wholly shocking finish to a moderate match, the outstanding young Hammill excepted.

Outnumbered in the stands, Dunfermline also frequently appeared to be at a numerical disadvantage on the pitch. The illusion was created by Hearts' swarming authority, the visitors apparently on a mission, as they often seem to be these days, to prove that off-field events would not reduce their effectiveness.

The sale of midfielder Paul Hartley to Celtic, another influx of on-loan players from eastern Europe and the continuing omission of the Scotland goalkeeper, Craig Gordon - once again on the bench - amounted to testimony to another week of controversy at Tynecastle.

The latest intake from abroad included Laryea Kingston, the Ghana midfielder borrowed from Russian league side Terek Grozny, who looked for much of this debut like a potentially useful recruit. Mobile and neat in his ball control and distribution, Kingston made a pleasing impression on his first encounter with a game with which he would be quite unfamiliar.

During Hearts' sustained periods of aggressiveness in the first half, they claimed a penalty when Saulius Mikoliunas, turning inside quickly from the right, appeared to be nicked by Wilson, but hitting the turf was not sufficient to persuade referee Mike McCurry that the defender had committed an offence.

But Dunfermline, especially in the Scottish Cup, have shown they are nothing if not tenacious and their stubborn refusal to capitulate to opponents who appeared generally superior ensured that Hearts would not enjoy a trouble-free passage into the quarter-finals.

The result of this restoration of balance was a lengthy period without much of a goal threat at either end. The sides were strong in defence and stubborn in midfield, resulting in the kind of stalemate in which inventiveness and passing accuracy tend to disintegrate.

Hearts were first to regain a semblance of cohesion, exerting periods of sustained pressure through the second half, but seemingly condemned by fate not to score. Michal Pospisil's downward header, for example, seemed so likely to give them the lead that the striker claimed the ball had crossed the line before Dorus de Vries had made the save. He was quite mistaken.

There would be further cause for celebrating in anticipation when Zaliukas came forward to meet a corner from the left and his header was deflected away from the diving De Vries. But the goalkeeper still prevented the score by stretching out his left foot.

These near things had followed the deliberately and precisely placed shot from Andrew Driver - following a corner from the right - that actually passed De Vries, but was headed out from under the crossbar by the strategically placed and alert Phil McGuire.

Dunfermline's forward surges were plentiful enough, but there was a distinct lack of cleverness in attack, where Stevie Crawford and Mark Burchill appeared to have ostracised each other. Neither is blessed with the gift of foresight in relation to the probable course of the ball. Nor was either of the substitute strikers who came on, Jim McIntyre and Jim Hamilton, involved in the winning goal.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer