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A strong Hearts side ensured our first visit to Tynecastle, ended in defeat, but we were far from disgraced by our Premiership hosts.

Andy Halliday’s goal early in first half and a second from Liam Boyce, just before the interval, sent the home side on course to a deserved victory.

But that was only after we went close to taking the lead when Leighton McIntosh saw his shot cleared off the Hearts line in the ninth minute.

Former Aberdeen winger Gary Mackay-Steven made sure of a home win by netting the third early in the second period.

The players deserve credit for continuing to play passing football – and creating chances – and for the efforts required to compete with full-time opponents right to the end.

Kyle Gourlay made his debut and Leighton McIntosh was fit enough to return. Defender Ryan Strachan joined the list of those unavailable after suffering a calf injury against Stirling Albion at the weekend.

That meant Paul Hartley was only able to list three outfield players on the bench for the clash with his former club.

Hearts underlined how fond they are of their former skipper by describing the ex-Jambos and Scotland midfielder as ‘Sir Paul’ in the match programme.

It was also no surprise to see Paul, a Scottish Cup winner with the Edinburgh club, receive a warm reception from the 2,000 Hearts fans inside the ground.

We made a bright start and were the first to threaten, when Iain Vigurs swept a free-kick over from the left into the Hearts area, in the sixth minute.

The ball broke off a home defender to McIntosh but his 14-yard shot was blocked to safety.

We were desperately unlucky not to take the lead in the ninth minute, after Vigurs fed a low pass into the Hearts area to McIntosh.

The striker managed to dink the ball past Scotland international Craig Gordon but the effort was hooked away from the line by home defender Michael Smith.

Hearts made the most of that let-off by taking the lead in the 11th minute.

HALLIDAY was afforded too much space when he collected the ball 20-yards out and gave Gourlay no chance with a well placed drive just inside the keeper’s left post.

Hearts went close again in the 18th minute when Finlay Pollock smashed a cut-back from Josh Ginnelly off the face of Gourlay’s right post.

Gourlay stopped Hearts going two up in the 31st minute with a marvellous save.

He was left one-on-one with Smith but managed to deflect the full-back’s eight yard shot wide for a corner.

Morgyn Neill was then forced to make an excellent last-gasp interception to stop a Smith cut-back from the right reaching Boyce as Hearts kept up the pressure.

Harry Milne took the pressure off by making a run forward down the left.

He then exchanged passes with Mitch Megginson before seeing his shot from the edge of the area deflected for a corner.

Within a minute, Milne also met a right wing cross from Ross Draper to send in a looping header that was held by Gordon.

Gourlay was called into action again in the 41st minute, when he dived to hold Mackay-Steven’s low shot from the edge of our area.

Hearts made it 2-0 right on the stroke of half-time when Gourlay’s punched clearance from another Smith cross from the right fell to BOYCE and he placed the ball into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

We had another chance just after the restart, when the referee waved play on after Halliday had fouled McIntosh, a challenge he was later booked for.

The ball then broke to Connor Scully but his shot from outside the area was blocked by a defender.

Hearts got their third in the 54th minute when MACKAY-STEVEN rifled a low shot from outside our area into the corner of the net.

We then received another injury blow when Scott Ross had to be replaced by Broque Watson just before the hour.

Rory McAllister also replaced Scully after 61 minutes.

We threatened again in the 65th minute when Vigurs sent a free-kick into the area and Draper powered a header overt the Hearts crossbar.

Gourlay then made a great double save, from efforts by Josh Ginnelly and Boyce, as Hearts raced to the other end.

Youngster Rhys Thomas came on after 76 minutes, for Harry Milne.

We went close to netting again with seven minutes to go when Fyvie’s cross from the right was headed wide of the front post by McAllister.

Megginson also sent a shot from a McIntosh pass wide as we went in search of a late consolation goal.

The game ended with Gourlay clearing a close range effort from Boyce with his legs.

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN: Gordon, M Smith, Kingsley (Haring 58), Souttar, Boyce, Mackay-Steven Denholm 76), Halliday ( C Smith 76), Cochrane, Halkett, Ginnelly (Henderson 71), Pollock (McEneff 58).

Subs: Stewart, Roberts, Popescu, Damour.

COVE RANGERS: Gourlay, Neill, Milne (Thomas 76), Scully (McAllister 61), Ross (Watson 59), Yule, Megginson, McIntosh, Draper, Vigurs, Fyvie.

Subs: McKenzie.

Referee: Colin Steven.

Hearts Reaction | Paul Hartley »