Match Report

Hearts clinically disposed of Annan Athletic to earn a place in the second round of the Petrofac Taining Cup in front of an appreciative crowed at Tyncastle on Saturday.

All the Hearts goals came in the first half through Billy King, Osman Sow and Callum Paterson with Scott Davidson scoring a late consolation goal for Annan Athletic.

Hearts made their intentions clear from the start with Alex Mitchell having to deal with a 20 yard Billy King effort and with only 8 minutes on the clock it was the impressive King who opened the scoring. He picked the ball up wide on the right before cutting in past the challenge of Watson to finish with a glorious deflected 15 yard effort into the roof of the net to give Hearts the best possible start to the game.

Annan responded when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box after Todd was upended but Neil Alexander pulled off a good save from Hopkirks low well placed free kick.

Hearts doubled their lead in the 19^th minute with a well constructed move. Carrick did well to win the ball in the middle of the park ending with a superb flick on to the path of Osman Sow and the ex Crystal Palace striker controlled the ball magnificently to take the ball away from his marker before guiding the ball past the outstretched arm of Alex Mitchell from 15 yards.

Annan were having to dig deep to retain the fluent Heart’s side but almost right on half time Annan conceded again. Hearts won a corner kick and Billy King’s corner was perfectly met by Callum Paterson who rose unmarked to head the ball into the net from 12 yards. Almost immediately Paterson twisted his knee on the lush turff and had to be stretchered off.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Hearts pushing and prodding for openings against a resilient Annan defence. Carrick came close finishing a fine run with a superb shot which Alex Mitchell tipped over the bar. McHattie tried his luck with a 25 yarder which Mitchell pushed over the bar.

Annan’s chances were few and far between but they stuck to the challenge. The introduction of Scott Davidson in the 79^th minute paid dividends in the 87^th minute when Davidson picked the ball up on the edge of the box before working his way along the line and finishing with a lovely low curling shot which nestled in the corner of the net beyond the outstretched arm of Neil Alexander.

Heart of Midlothian – N Alexander, C Patterson (McGee 46 min), K McHattie, D Wilson, A Ozturk, M Gomis, S Nicholson, B King, P Buaben (J Holt 63 min), D Carrick, O Sow (G Oliver 74 min). Unused subs S Gallagher, J Walker, J Keetings, B McKay, J McGhee.

Goalscorers- King 8min, Sow 19 min , Paterson 44 min.

Annan Athletic – A Mitchell, P Watson, I Chisholm, M McNiff, S Black, S Swinglehurst, R McStay, M Flynn (S Logan 55 min), J Todd (S Davidson 83 min), D Hopkirk, D Carcary ( S Sloan 66 min). Substitutes unused C Murray, P Bradley, K Brannan, Z Caldwell

Goalscorer – Davidson 86 min.

Referee                               C Murray                Assistants F Connor and Liam Butler.

Crowd 6708.