HEARTS PROVE A HANDFUL

05 February 2011

Match Report: Alan Henderson

Hearts had a comfortable afternoon at Bayview; the gulf between the sides evident, particularly in the first half. The Fifers had a strong team in the first, but struggled to create chances against a Hearts side comprising a mix of youngsters and fringe players. The second half brought a glut of substitutions, and more possession, with a Linn beauty ten minutes from time all the reward for a hard shift.

The Fifers tried to be positive from the start, but were always going to be susceptible to the quick attacks of Templeton and Mole. It took David Templeton just five minutes to open the scoring, breaking down the left, and drilling the ball underneath Lyness. It was Mole who scored the second on 29 mins, rounding the keeper after an attack down the middle and hitting the empty net. Stevenson scored the third with a powerful header on half time.

The Fifers looked more dangerous at the start of the second, but were hit with a counter-attack on the hour mark; Glen driving home. This was followed by Fife pressure in the Hearts box, but there was simply no way through. A flurry of substitutions followed, and the game lost its rythmn for a while, before the visitors scored their fifth on 77 mins, with Park knocking home from three yards after a scramble.

Two minutes later, Fagan fed Linn wide; he checked, then drove the ball low into the far corner of the net. The home side continued to press for the remaining ten minutes, but Hearts held firm.

East Fife: Lyness [Brown 65], Durie [Murdoch 80], McCulloch [Fagan 65], McGowan [Smart 65], Ovenstone [Trialist], Muir, Linn [Brewster 80], Young, Hislop, Sloan [Trialist 65], Cargill [Weir 46].

Hearts: McDonald, Thomson, Park, Thomson, McGowan, Thomson, Templeton [Deland 65], Stevenson [Robinson 70], Mole [Hamilton 45], Glen, Mulrooney.

Ref: D Somers