Inverness CT 1 - 3 Hearts

Calum Elliot and Ross Tokely
Tokely tackles Elliot during the first half

By Andy Campbell

Hearts came from behind against Inverness to record their second win of the Scottish Premier League season.

Eric Odhiambo's 37th-minute opener for the hosts was cancelled out by team-mate Chris Innes's own goal in the closing seconds of the first half.

Ryan Stevenson finished well to put the visitors ahead shortly after the break.

And Calum Elliot continued his impressive early season form when he side-footed home Suso's cross for Hearts' third.

Defeat means the Highlanders are still looking for their first home point of the season.

In the continued absence of Lee Wallace, Ruben Palazuelos was again deployed in the unfamiliar role of left-back for the visitors and a trip by the Spaniard on Jonny Hayes resulted in the game's first booking.

From the free-kick, Hayes chipped the ball on to the head of top scorer Adam Rooney, but the striker's header posed few problems for Hearts goalkeeper Marian Kello.

Hayes was the fulcrum of most of the home side's attacking moves and, after the winger had won another free-kick on the right, his delivery was headed powerfully towards goal by Innes, forcing Kello to make the save.

Suso claimed unsuccessfully for a penalty after going to ground under the challenge of Ross Tokely moments before the injured Ian Black left the field to be replaced with Hearts substitute Kevin Kyle.

Inverness upped the pace and a breakaway attack saw Nick Ross put Rooney in on goal, but the striker could not get enough purchase on his shot.

However, the Highlanders scored with their next attack as Stuart Duff sent Odhiambo through on goal.
Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson
Stevenson scored his first Hearts goal to put the visitors ahead

The Tanzanian striker mis-hit his initial effort as he was bearing in on goal, but the ball bounced away from the outrushing Kello and Odhiambo ran round to bundle a shot into the empty net.

Hearts began to show more purpose after falling behind and David Templeton drew a foul and a booking for Hayes on the left-hand side.

And, from the free-kick, Templeton's dangerous in-swinging cross was on course to give Kyle an easy tap-in only for Innes's intervention to give Hearts their leveller.

Templeton had a shot deflected over and Kello did well to prevent an own goal by Ismael Bouzid as the play swung from end to end.

Hearts moved into the lead when Elliot's cross was headed down by Kyle into the path of Stevenson and the midfielder's downward shot found the net with the aid of the post.

Inverness responded with Ross firing a shot wide and Rooney having another deflected out for a corner by Palazuelos, who then made an important defensive header at the set piece.

Referee Iain Brines waved away more penalty appeals after Elliot claimed he had been pulled back in the box by Innes.

And Hearts' frustration was almost compounded when Rooney beat the offside trap to race through on Kello's goal, but Bouzid got back to make a vital block.

However, the home side's chances of a comeback were all but extinguished when Suso broke down the right and centred for Elliot to score his fourth goal of the season.

Shane Sutherland forced the ball into the Hearts net seven minutes from the end, but the offside flag cut short his celebrations and fellow substitute Richie Foran's volley was well saved by Kello in the closing stages.

Taken from the BBC