Hearts go through as Bairns hampered by woodwork woes
Hearts weathered the Falkirk storm to reach the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup and bring some respite to their league travails.
Sean Clare, revitalised under new manager Daniel Stendel, swept in his fourth goal in five games from the spot after Liam Boyce had been nudged from behind in the box by Michael Doyle five minutes after the interval.
Three times Falkirk struck woodwork as the League One hosts hunted a leveller, but somehow the Tynecastle side survived to reach the last eight. There was no danger of the Bairns’ artificial surface being made unplayable by Storm Ciara. In fact the wet pitch allowed the ball the zip around freely. However, once it was off the ground, the problems started for both teams.
The Tynecastle side, with keeper Joel Pereira given a vote of confidence, would normally have been expected to swat aside
League One opponents but, to allow Josh Todd a clear run sitting bottom of the Premiership on goal but the winger sliced his table and having shipped six goals eventual shot high and wide. in their last two matches since Almost instantly, Hearts carved that morale-boosting victory out their best opportunity of the over Rangers, this was more of a half. They worked new signing banana skin that it should have Boyce into space just outside the been. box on the left and, feinting from
Falkirk came into the match his right foot to his left, the striker undefeated in 12 games since the drilled in a low effort that Mutch appointment of co-managers Lee did well to cling on to in the wet. Miller and David Mccracken in The interval allowed some November and the presence of respite from the conditions and former Jambos Morgaro Gomis appeared to revitalise the players and Conor Sammon in the home as the match suddenly burst to rankslife.addedsomeextraspiceto proceedings. Hearts took the lead five
Hearts tried to settle early, minutes in. Pereira’s punt sent roared on by a sell-out travelling Boyce in on goal, Doyle panicked support, and were clearly eager and nudged the striker and to beat the gales by keeping the Beaton this time pointed to the ball on the deck. Falkirk tried their spot. Clare made no mistake with own form of Stendel’s geggenthe perfect penalty. pressing but it only resulted in Then, three times in the a string of fouls that disrupted space of six minutes, Falkirk hit the rhythm of an already difficult the woodwork in search of the game for both sets of players. equaliser.
Hearts twice worked openings First, Mcmanus swivelled to down the left flank in the meet a loose ball at a corner, only first quarter, leading to some for his shot to crash back off the concerning moments for the upright. Moments later, his low home defence. But skipper Steven drive from the right side of the box Naismith failed to convince was repelled by the same part of referee John Beaton with a the goal frame. theatrical fall from the set-piece With their tails up, the Bairns taken short to him in the box and again came within a whisker Clare’s tumble was also waved of the leveller. This time, Miller aside. stepped with determination on The home side should have to a pass and sent a magnificent taken the lead seven minutes effort in from 20 yards out, only from the break. A long clearance for the crossbar to deny the home from Mutch deceived Dikamona side.
SEAN CLARE continued his revival by staying cool under pressure to settle the tie for his side.
star man
Was it the Falkirk or the Hearts fans who were singing “Hearts are going down”?