Source: Team_Talk
Four-star Hearts stroll past Elgin
Hearts eased into the third round of the Co-operative Insurance Cup with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Third Division strugglers Elgin City.[LNB] There was no hint of a giant-killing at Tynecastle as Jim Jefferies' charges snuffed out the visitors' threat with two first-half strikes.[LNB]Eggert Jonsson provided the 11th-minute breakthrough before Kevin Kyle scored his first Tynecastle goal soon after the half-hour mark.[LNB]Arvydas Novikovas, the Lithuanian midfielder, claimed an impressive third before substitute Scott Robinson wrapped it up late on.[LNB]Jefferies rang the changes for the Moray men's visit, with Kyle - making his first start - Jonsson, Novikovas, Ryan Stevenson and Janos Balogh brought in after Saturday's 4-0 win at Hamilton.[LNB]Elgin, bottom of the Third Division after three defeats and the concession of 13 goals, appeared in for a difficult night.[LNB]But with veteran winger Barry Wilson in their ranks they at least had valuable experience and started the contest brightly.[LNB]Yet it took only 11 minutes for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League outfit to break the deadlock.[LNB]Craig Thomson's corner was not properly cleared and Ian Black's lofted ball back into the danger area saw Jonsson net, if a little luckily as the ball spooned up and over Steven Dunn.[LNB]It was to soon prove one-way traffic thereafter with Novikovas curling just wide and then Kyle denied at the back-post by a smart Dunn save.[LNB]Hearts were peppering the Elgin goal and only an incredible save from the right boot of Dunn prevented Black slotting home from David Templeton's cross.[LNB]The visiting custodian was already having a busy evening and endearing himself to the noisy band of away fans with some fine stops.[LNB]He next threw himself at a Stevenson header before Ruben Palazuelos caught the post with the rebound.[LNB]Jason Crooks broke upfield to give his defenders a breather, the striker firing wide from the right to register City's first shot on goal on the half-hour mark.[LNB]But it was to prove a brief highlight for Ross Jack's men as Hearts doubled their lead in trademark style from Kyle on 33 minutes.[LNB]Another fine right-wing centre from Thomson saw the striker bullet home a header.[LNB]Hearts were in no mood to take their foot off the accelerator in the second half and Novikovas finished a flowing move by netting a deflected 18-yard drive just short of the hour.[LNB]There was almost consolation for Elgin soon after but Balogh got down at his near post to block out Craig Gunn's close-range chance.[LNB]Six minutes from time substitute Robinson added further gloss for Hearts by clipping in a fourth.[LNB]
