Hamilton 0 - 2 Hearts

Hearts consolidated third place in the Scottish Premier League with a comfortable victory away to Hamilton.

A close-range Stephen Elliott header gave Hearts a 22nd-minute lead after Lee Wallace had broken free down the left-hand side.

The Irishman doubled his tally and Hearts' lead with another header 30 seconds into the second half.

Accies rarely threatened, although Jim McAlister and Jonathon Routledge both had efforts denied in the second half.

The defeat means Accies remain at the foot of the table, having failed to win a home league game this season, while Hearts have now firmly cemented third place behind Rangers and Celtic.

New signing Andy Webster made his second debut for the visitors, replacing Ismael Bouzid, while Lee Wallace came in for Adrian Mrowiec.

Hamilton made four changes to the side that lost at home to Dundee United in the Scottish Cup last week, with Marco Paixao, Mark Carrington and Andy Graham dropping down to the bench and Lee Kilday left out altogether.

In came David Elebert, Gavin Skelton, McAlister and 17-year-old defender Ziggy Gordon.

Mickael Antoine-Curier was Accies' lone striker, but he had almost no support in the opening stages as Hearts held on to possession.

In the 16th minute, McAlister dispossessed Wallace but ended up sending his cross to an empty back post.

Moments later at the other end, Tynecastle midfielder Eggert Jonsson headed over from a Rudi Skacel corner.

It was a full 22 minutes before any significant action surfaced with both sides playing at a fairly pedestrian pace - Elliott leaping on to a Wallace cross to head in from six yards out and putting the visitors into the lead.

With 30 minutes played, Craig Thomson fired a powerful shot wide of the Accies goal as the visitors went in search of a second goal at New Douglas Park.

Five minutes from the interval, Ruben Palazuelos fired a shot towards goal but was denied by Accies keeper Tomas Cerny.

Barely 30 seconds after the re-start, Marius Zaliukas was the provider as Elliott doubled Hearts' lead with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box.

Hearts keeper Marian Kello was called into action in the 50th minute for the first time when he made a fine save from Elebert's close-range header following an in-swinging cross from Flavio Paixao.

Jim Jefferies' men continued to pile on the pressure and, shortly before the hour mark, Elliott fired in a shot from 25 yards out as he attempted to bag a hat-trick, but Cerny tipped the ball over the bar.

McAlister tested the Hearts keeper Marian Kello, then Routledge broke through the Hearts defence in a rare Accies attack with 15 minutes remaining, but his effort sailed wide of the mark.

Hearts continued to dominate play and Accies seemed frustrated as the visitors casually knocked the ball about in a bid to see out time.

A flurry of late corners for the hosts failed to inspire Billy Reid's men to pick up a consolation, allowing Hearts to keep a clean sheet and take home all three points.

Taken from the BBC