Raith 1 Hearts 1 (4-5 Pens): McKay fires winner after mental marathon shoot-out

Gordon Parks

28 Aug 2013 09:40

AN astonishing seven spot-kicks were missed out of 16 during a night of drama as Hearts won 5-4 on penalties in the League Cup.

BRAD McKAY blasted Hearts into the third round after a marathon penalty shootout win over 10-man Raith Rovers.

An astonishing seven spot-kicks were missed out of 16 during a night of drama as Hearts won 5-4 on penalties.

Liam Fox’s opener for the hosts was cancelled out by Jamie Hamill’s penalty before Raith’s Dougie Hill was red-carded in controversial circumstances before the sudden-death finish.

Gary Locke wasn’t joking with his pre-match declaration that squad rotation was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

The Hearts boss fielded the same side that defeated Aberdeen on Saturday.

And the close ties the Tynecastle side enjoys with Raith were evident as both Jason Holt and Jamie Walker returned to Stark’s Park where they’d loan spells.

Former Jambos Jason Thomson, Calum Elliot, Fox and Gordon Smith were given a chance to bite the hand which used to feed them as they lined up for Raith.

Grant Murray’s men started the brighter and Fox curled an early shot wide as the Fifers seized the initiative.

Holt then tried his luck from distance but Raith keeper David McGurn made a comfortable stop.

Raith were sharper into the tackle and slicker on possession and they had a penalty claim turned away in the 15th minute as Elliot went down under a close attention from Hamill.

It looked like an accidental clip of heels from the Hearts player and referee Brian Colvin wasn’t to be convinced otherwise despite the protests.

Hearts were being stretched down both flanks and Kevin McHattie clattered Grant Anderson to earn the game’s first booking.

It underlined the superiority of Raith who were denied a 22nd-minute opener by Jambos keeper Jamie MacDonald who turned a low drive from Joe Cardle around his post.

It was MacDonald’s last involvement as he limped off with an ankle injury to be replaced by Mark Ridgers in what could be another experienced head at Hearts set for a spell on the sidelines.

The Edinburgh side did muster an attack that looked to have menace 10 minutes from the break only for Paul Watson to bring it to a halt by taking out Billy King and landing a booking.

Elliot then unleashed a 30-yarder that was destined for the bottom corner but Ridgers produced a superb stop.

Honours may have been even at half-time but the plaudits belonged to the First Division side.

But Fox found the net in the 50th minute after an almighty melee in the Hearts box. Gordon Smith and Cardle both had efforts blocked as Ridgers produced two brilliant stops before Fox finally drove the ball home.

Hearts were then thrown a lifeline on the hour when Thomson inexplicably pulled down King inside the box and Hamill hammered his spot-kick low past McGurn.

Hope springs eternal with this Hearts side as character and grit hauled them back into a tie that soon turned further into their favour.

Raith defender Hill appeared to push his head into Hamill’s face and ref Colvin produced a red card.

Hamill was now villain of the piece for the home side and he was soon in the book himself for hauling down Elliot.

The Gorgie side continued to live dangerously as Raith refused to be dented by the numerical disadvantage but clear-cut chances continued to be few and far between.

But for the 3668 inside the ground it was proving an evening of increasing drama as the entertainment was extended into extra time.

Hearts began to dominate but the hosts maintained a threat on the break and Callum Booth fired a shot into the side-net in the 103rd minute

Gary Oliver and Walker both went close for Hearts as the two sides went toe to toe.

It was now a battle of nerve as Danny Wilson, McHattie and Holt all missed from the spot for Hearts before Lewis Vaughan, Fox, Thomson and Ross Callachan failed to find the net for Raith and McKay cooly put his side through.

Taken from the Daily Record