Hearts 4 Dunfermline 1 (AET)

Hearts needed the tension of extra-time to squeeze past First Division strugglers Dunfermline on a night of drama at Tynecastle.

The Clydesdale Bank Premier League side eventually earned a quarter-final berth thanks to skipper Christophe Berra's close-range header in the 98th minute, and Calum Elliot drove the nail in Dunfermline's coffin with a double before the end of the first period of extra-time.

Former Hearts player Stephen Simmons ensured a nervous night for the Edinburgh side when he headed in an equaliser seven minutes from the end of normal time but there was to be no dream end to Dunfermline's brave comeback.

Christian Nade's first goal for Hearts appeared to have seen off a Dunfermline team whose cup exploits last season took them all the way to the Scottish Cup final and earned them a place in this term's UEFA Cup.

However, despite eventually running out of steam, the Fifers surely showed enough fight to suggest they can now lift themselves from their current position of second-bottom in the First Division.

Hearts were clearly fired up to make amends for Saturday's disappointing 2-1 defeat to Inverness that deflated them after their exhilarating 4-2 victory over Rangers seven days earlier.

And they will be hoping this victory with a team showing six changes can give them confidence for a return to league duty against St Mirren this weekend.

The home side flooded men forward in the early stages in search of the breakthrough and in the sixth minute Laryea Kingston poked a volley wide after good build-up work from Michael Stewart and Calum Elliot.

However, for all Hearts' pressure, it was Dunfermline who came closest to breaking the deadlock midway through the half as youngster Nicky Phinn brilliantly chested down a high ball before spearing his left-foot drive inches too high.

And it was a mistake from the visitors which eventually gifted stuttering Hearts the lead in the 33rd minute.

Kestutis Ivaskevicius bombed down the left flank before cutting back for Elliot and when the striker pushed the ball past Calum Woods, the defender's ill-judged tackle left referee Brian Winter with no option but to award a penalty, which Nade despatched with ease.

Dunfermline had been content to sit in and try and hit their hosts on the break but their half-time deficit ensured they would have to commit more men forward after the break.

Hearts knew they were in a game at this stage and in the 68th minute Dunfermline came within a whisker of an equaliser.

Stephen Glass found the run of Crawford with a free-kick and Bamba was just out of reach of the striker's flick.

A set piece at the other end almost brought Hearts the decisive second goal but Elliot could not direct his header on target from Kingston's deep free-kick and the striker followed that up with a shot too straight at Gallacher.

A minute later, it was Nade's turn to pass up an opportunity to win the tie when he played in Elliot instead of shooting and Nade's eventual shot was saved by Gallacher.

When Simmons headed in substitute Owen Morrison's corner seven minutes from time, it came only seconds after McManus had hit the upright with an exquisite free-kick and was well deserved.

However, Berra's header after Kingston's corner had been nodded into his path and Elliot's two drives against a tiring Dunfermline rearguard belatedly ended the contest in a one-sided extra-time period.

Andrius Velicka almost put further gloss on the scoreline in the final minute but chipped wide when it seemed easier to score.

Teams:

Hearts Banks, Neilson, Berra, Kancelskis, Goncalves, Kingston,Stewart (Palazuelos 29), Ivaskevicius (Ksanavicius 65),Jonsson, Nade (Velicka 77), Elliot.

Subs Not Used: Kurskis, Zaliukas.

Booked: Jonsson.

Goals: Nade 34 pen, Berra 97, Elliot 100, 102.

Dunfermline Gallacher, Young, Simmons, Bamba, Glass,Williamson (Ryan 62), Woods, Phinn (Owen Morrison 79),McBride (Hamilton 78), Crawford, McManus.

Subs Not Used: Murdoch, McCulloch.

Booked: Simmons, McBride, Woods.

Goals: Simmons 84.

Att: 10,500

Ref: B Winter (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com