Hearts 2 Hamilton 0

Rudi Skacel and David Templeton scored impressive goals in each half as Hearts continued their excellent form in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with victory over Hamilton.

Skacel opened the scoring on 32 minutes by sending an effort from outside the box on the left wing screaming into the opposite corner of the basement side's net.

Templeton added the second in similar style seven minutes after the restart, scoring with an equally impressive strike which went in close to the left-hand post.

Accies were condemned to a fourth straight league loss after Simon Mensing had a late penalty saved by home goalkeeper Marian Kello.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies stuck with a winning formula by once again naming an unchanged side - hardly surprising as the team had earned successive 2-0 victories to move up to third in the table.

Bottom side Hamilton made three changes from the team which saw a first-half lead overturned as they slumped 3-1 at home to Inverness last Saturday.

Defenders Gavin Skelton and Martin Canning were handed starting places, along with midfielder Gary McDonald, while Jon Routledge and Jordan Kirkpatrick dropped to the bench, while teenager David Hopkirk was out of the squad entirely.

Templeton had some promising early runs including one in which he weaved his way to the edge of the box, only to be halted by Mensing.

The Hamilton captain then brought down Stephen Elliott just outside the area on 10 minutes - Skacel curled the free-kick around the wall but, with the ball looking set to sneak in at the right-hand post, it was deflected round the post.

Skacel blasted well over the bar nine minutes later as the hosts tried to capitalise on their possession, pressure and good passing.

Hearts had their best chances to date on 25 minutes when first Templeton's shot from the left was blocked by Mensing and as Accies tried to clear their lines, it fell to Skacel - whose volley was smothered on the line by goalkeeper Tomas Cerny.

The visitors responded with a rising effort by Gavin Skelton which Kello palmed away at the top right corner, before Imrie headed wide on the half-hour.

Skacel gave Hearts the lead in stunning style two minutes later - collecting the ball on the left wing and sending a perfect shot from outside the area screaming over Cerny and into the bottom right corner of the visitors' goal.

The hosts had the chance to double their lead before the break, but Ismael Bouzid headed wide from Skacel's corner.

Imrie tried his luck with a deep cross from the right byline as the second half got under way, but it was easily collected by Kello.

Hearts wasted no time in taking control of the second half and doubled their lead in the 52nd minute thanks to an excellent Templeton strike seven minutes after the restart.

Skacel's corner from the left was initially cleared off the line but Hearts regained possession and found Templeton outside the box - from where the winger sent his volley sailing into the left-hand side of the net.

Kevin Kyle sent in a diagonal shot moments later which looked set to find the net until Mensing desperately headed it away under pressure from Ruben Palazuelos at the back post.

The same two Hearts players combined just after the hour for Kyle to head over from a Palazuelos throw from the left, while Hamilton's best chance of the second half came from Imrie's run and cross from the left which was met by Damien Casalinuovo but well blocked by Kello.

Hamilton responded with a double substitution, bringing on the Paixao twins, Flavio and Marco, for the final quarter.

The visitors were handed a lifeline 12 minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty after Palazuelos was adjudged by referee Iain Brines to have brought down Flavio Paixao.

Mensing stepped up to take the spot-kick but his right-footed kick was confidently saved by Kello, who dived to his left and successfully beat the effort away to extend his record of clean sheets to four games.

Home substitute Calum Elliot had the best chance of the closing stages as the game entered injury time, but his effort from near the right-hand post was blocked by Cerny.

Teams

Hearts Kello, Jonsson, Bouzid, Zaliukas, Palazuelos, Templeton, Black (Stevenson 76), Mrowiec, Skacel (Craig Thomson 84), Kyle, Elliott (Elliot 84).

Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Barr, Novikovas, Glen.

Booked: Palazuelos.

Goals: Skacel 32, Templeton 52.

Hamilton Cerny, Elebert, Canning, Graham (Gillespie 76), Goodwin, McDonald (Marco Paixao 67), Skelton, Mensing, Buchanan (Flavio Paixao 67), Casalinuovo, Imrie.

Subs Not Used: Murdoch, Kirkpatrick, Routledge, Lyle.

Att: 12,620

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com