Black leads Jambos to Bairns win

13 February 2010 17:52
The playmaker, who rowed in the dressing room with the absent Frenchman following Wednesday's defeat at Celtic, scored a superb third goal and produced an all-action performance in the middle of the park.[LNB]Hearts took the lead in the fifth minute when Lee Wallace's cross caught out Robert Olejnik at the near post and sailed into the net.[LNB]Dawid Kucharski scored an own goal in first-half injury time to bring the visitors level but Suso Santana and Black struck after the break. Falkirk substitute Pedro Moutinho notched a consolation goal with seven minutes left.[LNB]The new Hearts management team of Jim Jefferies, Billy Brown and Gary Locke were granted a standing ovation from the supporters on their return to Tynecastle as they were paraded prior to kick-off.[LNB]And the Hearts fans were on their feet again after five minutes to celebrate Wallace's bizarre opener.[LNB]Picking up a short pass from Ryan Stevenson, the left-back's cross-cum-shot caught Olejnik by surprise at his near post as the goalkeeper was unable to claw the ball clear.[LNB]Buoyed by the early strike, the hosts went looking for a second but David Obua was unable to make a powerful connection with Santana's cross.[LNB]Bairns defender Brian McLean needed medical assistance after picking up a head knock in the challenge with Obua but was able to continue.[LNB]Eggert Jonsson then picked out the towering Ugandan with a near-side delivery but he failed to find the target with his header.[LNB]Obua did have the ball in the net in the 22nd minute but Arvydas Novikovas was adjudged to have run the ball out of play at the byline before crossing.[LNB]Hearts enjoyed the lion's share of territorial possession but were struggling to find gaps in a resolute Falkirk defence.[LNB]A hopeful ball into the Hearts box, however, caused problems as goalkeeper Marian Kello was forced to come from his line to block Carl Finnigan's shot at a tight angle.[LNB]With Kello out of his goal, Finnigan lofted a pass back into the area but Black headed clear.[LNB]A defensive error from Wallace's cross into the Falkirk box gave Santana a chance to shoot but his left-footed effort was well blocked.[LNB]Ten minutes before half-time, Stevenson fired a low half-volley goalwards that was saved by Olejnik at the second attempt.[LNB]Falkirk defender Tam Scobbie then did well to header clear from under his own crossbar as Novikovas attempted to find Obua.[LNB]The Bairns levelled in first-half injury time when defender Kucharski scored an own goal.[LNB]Marc Twaddle fired a low volley across goal from Finnigan's flick-on and the Pole could not get out of the way as he diverted the ball into the net.[LNB]New Falkirk manager Pressley made his intentions clear at half-time by going with two in attack.[LNB]Towering marksman Enoch Showunmi came on for winger Jack Compton.[LNB]And Falkirk winger Ryan Flynn missed a great chance in the 55th minute. The visitors broke at pace from a Hearts corner and Showunmi was able to squeeze a pass to Flynn under pressure from Kucharski but the former Liverpool trainee volleyed over from six yards.[LNB]Hearts breathed a sigh of relief on the hour mark when Burton O'Brien swung a left-footed free-kick over the wall from 25 yards and missed the target by inches.[LNB]Despite Falkirk's pressure, Hearts added a second a minute later through Santana. Novikovas' deep cross from the left flank was not dealt with by Olejnik and the Spaniard cracked a shot into the net from six yards.[LNB]Black gave Hearts a two-goal cushion with a 25-yard thunderbolt that flew past Olejnik in the 67th minute. The diminutive playmaker edged past McLean and unleashed an unstoppable left-footed drive.[LNB]Hearts were now brimming with confidence as they sprayed passes around with authority. Santana picked out the unmarked Gary Glen at the corner of the box with a cross-field pass but the striker blasted his shot over.[LNB]Falkirk responded by throwing on a third striker in the shape of Moutinho, with Colin Healy making way.[LNB]And Moutinho set up a tense finish after finding the net for the Bairns seven minutes from time. Wriggling free in a congested penalty box, the substitute drilled a shot high into the net from close range.[LNB]Falkirk won a series of free-kicks in Hearts' half but they failed to make any of them count.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk