Hearts 4 - 0 Dunfermline

Page last updated at 16:58 GMT, Saturday, 17 December 2011
Elliott (left) opened the scoring for Hearts against the Pars

Hearts' players shrugged off their wage dispute to secure an easy victory that leaves Dunfermline Athletic at the foot of the Scottish Premier League.

The Pars paid for static marking as Stephen Elliott turned the ball in from close range after only two minutes.

Both sides had chances before Mehdi Taouil's mis-hit shot evaded goalkeeper Paul Gallacher after 27 minutes.

David Templeton fired in the third with 20 minutes remaining before Rudi Skacel headed a stoppage-time fourth.

Hearts had gone into the game 24 hours after making an official complaint to the Scottish Premier League by their squad after their wages were delayed for a third successive month

But they thoroughly deserved only their second win in eight matches since their salaries were first delayed.
Taouil rounded off a fine personal display by scoring the second goal

Liam Buchanan, who started along with Paul Burns in place of Joe Cardle and the injured Paddy Boyle, threatened within a minute, but his low shot was smothered by goalkeeper Marian Kello at the second attempt.

Elliott, who had returned to the starting line-up along with fit-again Andy Webster in place of Eggert Jonsson and Ryan Stevenson, pounced to score from two yards after Ryan McGowan scuffed his own effort from an Ian Black corner.

The Pars' marking was again found wanting, but McGowan's header was straight at goalkeeper Paul Gallacher.

Dunfermline were suspect in at the back but remained dangerous at the other end, where Alex Keddie squandered a chance when the defender controlled the ball on his chest but hurried his shot side of the far post.

Black's well-worked corners continued to cause problems and the unmarked Marius Zaliukas sent a powerful header wide before Taouil curled a drive inches over the Dunfermline crossbar.

Defender McGowan set up Hearts' second goal with a fine run into the penalty box, finding Taouil for a shot that was not struck cleanly but managed to somehow evade goalkeeper Gallacher.

Dunfermline's Andrew Barrowman headed over from a corner before Zaliukas squandered another chance with a free header from only six yards.

The Pars were first to threaten shortly after the break, but Kello denies Buchanan with a brilliant save after the striker was set up inside the box by Martin Hardie.

Hearts came close to ending the game as a contest moments later, but Elliott sent his drive into the side-netting after a quick break.

Templeton whipped a shot over his shoulder but just wide after fine work from goalscorer Taouil.

The inspired Templeton forced the first a fine double save from Gallacher and, when the second from Adrian Mrowiec, came back out off the goalkeeper, there were strong cries for a penalty as the winger crashed to the ground.

There was to be no mistake by Templeton after Martin Hardie lost the ball when the midfielder lost the ball trying to dribble out of defence and it broke for the Hearts man to finish superbly.

That killed the game as a contest before Skacel headed in after Gallacher failed to hold a blistering effort from fellow substitute Ryan Stephenson.

Dunfermline not only missed the chance to overtake Hibernian at the bottom of the table after the Edinburgh side's earlier defeat away to Aberdeen but their goalkeeper was left clutching an injured shoulder in the lead-up to that final goal.
Live text and stats

Saturday, 17 December 2011

Scottish Premier
Home Team Score Away Team Time
Hearts 4-0 Dunfermline FT
(HT 2-0)

Elliott 2
Taouil 27
Templeton 71
Skacel 90+2

Hide team line-ups and match stats
Hearts

25 Kello
06 Webster yellow card
17 McGowan
26 Zaliukas
02 Hamill yellow card
08 Black
12 Templeton (Novikovas 81)
21 Taouil (Skacel 72)
31 Mrowiec
10 Elliott (Stevenson 84)
27 Robinson

Substitutes

30 MacDonald,
16 Stevenson,
19 Skacel,
44 McKay,
45 Kane,
15 Sutton,
18 Novikovas

Dunfermline

01 Gallacher
06 Keddie yellow card
15 Dowie yellow card
16 Potter
04 Mason (Thomson 75)
08 Hardie yellow card
17 Burns yellow card
22 Willis
09 Barrowman (Cardle 61)
11 Graham
19 Buchanan (Kirk 72)

Substitutes

20 Smith,
39 Young,
07 Cardle,
23 Thomson,
34 Byrne,
10 Kirk,
21 Clarke

Ref: RichmondAtt: 11,988
HEARTS
DUNFERMLINE
Possession

Hearts 56%
Dunfermline 44%

Attempts on target

Hearts 8
Dunfermline 2

Attempts off target

Hearts 8
Dunfermline 6

Corners

Hearts 7
Dunfermline 6

Fouls

Hearts 6
Dunfermline 16

Show all live text

Final Result
93:07 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
Full Time
90:00+1:28 The assist for the goal came from Ryan Stevenson.
90:00+1:28 GOAL - Rudi Skacel:Hearts 4 - 0 Dunfermline Rudi Skacel fires in a goal from just outside the box high into the middle of the goal. Hearts 4-0 Dunfermline.
89:09 Ian Black takes a shot. Save by Paul Gallacher.
87:16 Paul Burns concedes a free kick for a foul on Ryan McGowan. Ian Black takes the free kick.
86:23 Andy Dowie gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ryan Stevenson. Direct free kick taken by Ian Black.
Correction - 85:23 Effort from inside the area by Rudi Skacel misses to the left of the target.
85:23 Rudi Skacel has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.
83:13 Substitution (Hearts) makes a substitution, with Ryan Stevenson coming on for Stephen Elliott.
82:02 Paul Burns concedes a free kick for a foul on Arvydas Novikovas. Strike comes in from Ian Black from the free kick. Scott Robinson takes a shot.
80:15 Substitution Arvydas Novikovas on for David Templeton.
80:15 Ian Black crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.
80:15 Booking Martin Hardie is booked.
80:07 Martin Hardie challenges Marius Zaliukas unfairly and gives away a free kick.
78:55 David Graham is caught offside. Marian Kello takes the free kick.
74:50 Substitution Ryan Thomson joins the action as a substitute, replacing Gary Mason.
72:13 Joe Cardle delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, clearance by Ian Black. Inswinging corner taken by Paul Willis from the left by-line, Header on goal by Alex Keddie from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.
72:13 Booking Jamie Hamill booked.
72:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jamie Hamill on Gary Mason.
71:03 Substitution Andy Kirk comes on in place of Liam Buchanan.
71:03 Substitution Rudi Skacel on for Mehdi Taouil.
70:02 The assist for the goal came from Scott Robinson.
70:02 GOAL - David Templeton:Hearts 3 - 0 Dunfermline David Templeton scores a goal from just inside the area to the top left corner of the goal. Hearts 3-0 Dunfermline.
66:00 Paul Gallacher takes the free kick.
66:00 Booking The referee books Andy Webster for unsporting behaviour.
65:50 Foul by Andy Webster on Alex Keddie, free kick awarded.
65:07 David Templeton takes a shot. Save by Paul Gallacher.
64:12 Free kick crossed right-footed by Ian Black from left channel, clearance made by Gary Mason.
64:12 Booking Andy Dowie goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
64:10 Andy Dowie challenges David Templeton unfairly and gives away a free kick.
63:39 The assistant referee signals for offside against Stephen Elliott. Paul Gallacher restarts play with the free kick.
62:57 Free kick taken by Andy Webster.
62:57 Booking The referee shows Paul Burns a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
62:47 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Burns on Stephen Elliott.
62:10 Outswinging corner taken by Paul Willis, Scott Robinson manages to make a clearance.
60:37 Indirect free kick taken by Marius Zaliukas.
60:37 Substitution Joe Cardle is brought on as a substitute for Andrew Barrowman.
60:37 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Mason on Jamie Hamill.
59:08 Effort from inside the area by David Templeton misses to the left of the target.
58:15 Foul by Paul Willis on Ryan McGowan, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Ian Black, Alex Keddie manages to make a clearance.
57:17 Andy Dowie challenges Stephen Elliott unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ian Black.
54:36 The official flags Liam Buchanan offside. Indirect free kick taken by Marian Kello.
51:14 Stephen Elliott produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.
49:34 Corner taken by Paul Willis, clearance made by Mehdi Taouil.
48:28 Gary Mason concedes a free kick for a foul on Adrian Mrowiec. Ian Black restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The referee starts the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:09 The ref blows to signal half-time.
45:00+0:15 Martin Hardie challenges Mehdi Taouil unfairly and gives away a free kick. Marian Kello takes the free kick.
44:33 Stephen Elliott concedes a free kick for a foul on John Potter. Free kick taken by Paul Gallacher.
42:42 Martin Hardie takes a shot from a long way out clearing the bar.
41:02 Handball by David Graham. Ian Black produces a cross, Headed effort from inside the area by Marius Zaliukas misses to the left of the goal.
39:08 Paul Willis is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Marian Kello.
38:05 Ian Black produces a cross.
37:37 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ian Black.
36:28 Foul by Martin Hardie on Mehdi Taouil, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Jamie Hamill from right wing.
35:42 Foul by John Potter on Stephen Elliott, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Jamie Hamill.
34:29 Unfair challenge on Martin Hardie by Mehdi Taouil results in a free kick. Alex Keddie restarts play with the free kick.
33:33 Corner taken by Ian Black, Andrew Barrowman makes a clearance.
32:05 Scott Robinson fouled by David Graham, the ref awards a free kick. Jamie Hamill takes the free kick.
31:51 Liam Buchanan is caught offside. Free kick taken by Jamie Hamill.
31:35 Scott Robinson is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Paul Gallacher restarts play with the free kick.
29:51 Unfair challenge on Paul Willis by Ryan McGowan results in a free kick. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Paul Willis from right channel, Marius Zaliukas manages to make a clearance. Corner from the left by-line taken by Paul Willis, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Andrew Barrowman goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
26:38 The assist for the goal came from Ryan McGowan.
26:38 GOAL - Mehdi Taouil:Hearts 2 - 0 Dunfermline Mehdi Taouil finds the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Hearts 2-0 Dunfermline.
25:43 Corner taken right-footed by Paul Willis, save by Marian Kello.
25:01 Effort on goal by Mehdi Taouil from just inside the area clears the crossbar.
22:10 Alex Keddie challenges Adrian Mrowiec unfairly and gives away a free kick.
22:05 Ian Black restarts play with the free kick.
22:05 Booking The referee cautions Alex Keddie for unsporting behaviour.
20:44 David Graham takes a shot. Comfortable save by Marian Kello.
18:56 Foul by Gary Mason on Ian Black, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Ian Black, Paul Gallacher makes a comfortable save.
16:08 Ian Black delivers the ball.
15:37 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Ian Black.
13:36 Corner taken by Ian Black from the left by-line, Effort on goal by Ryan McGowan from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.
13:03 The assistant referee signals for offside against Liam Buchanan. Free kick taken by Marian Kello.
11:47 Corner taken right-footed by Ian Black, Header from deep inside the area by Marius Zaliukas goes over the bar.
10:58 Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Alex Keddie goes wide of the right-hand upright.
10:14 Outswinging corner taken by Paul Willis from the right by-line, Andy Webster makes a clearance.
8:05 Effort on goal by Paul Willis from outside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the bar.
5:22 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ian Black, Ryan McGowan takes a shot. Save made by Paul Gallacher.
4:02 Unfair challenge on Paul Willis by Ryan McGowan results in a free kick. The ball is swung over by Paul Willis, Andrew Barrowman takes a shot. Liam Buchanan is caught offside. Marian Kello takes the free kick.
1:54 Assist by Ryan McGowan.
1:54 GOAL - Stephen Elliott:Hearts 1 - 0 Dunfermline Stephen Elliott fires in a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Hearts 1-0 Dunfermline.
1:21 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ian Black,
0:27 Liam Buchanan takes a shot. Marian Kello makes a comfortable save.
0:00 The match has kicked off.

Taken from the BBC