Hearts B had to settle for a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Cowdenbeath at Central Park on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Taylor Hogarth and Dom Plank had the Wee Jambos 2-1 up at half-time, before adding a third soon after through Connor Dow. Cowdenbeath fought back late on to equalise through Jake Sutherland.
Angus Beith made two changes from the 4-1 victory over Gretna 2008 last Friday night.
Gus Stevenson and Alfie Osborne started, with Mackenzie Ross and Ryan Duncan dropping to the bench.
Cowdenbeath looked threatening in the opening exchanges. In the first minute, Jake Sutherland picked the ball up at the edge of the Hearts box, he had a pop on his right foot which was a comfortable take for goalkeeper Lyndon Tas.
The Blue Brazil made their early pressure count inside five minutes. The Jambos failed to clear their lines, and the ball was whipped into the box from the right, and Jamie Docherty scored a fantastic overhead kick to make it 1-0.
Hearts hit back straight away. Following a mix-up at the back for Cowdenbeath, goalkeeper Blair spilled it at the edge of the box. Taylor Hogarth was quick to pounce, and slotted home for the equaliser.
His strike gave his side some energy, as the Jam Tarts enjoyed a good spell of possession.
Aiden Haddow did brilliantly to win the ball at the left corner flag, he played it into Stevenson just inside the penalty area, who fired it across to Connor Dow. His strike was right at goalkeeper Blair and the hosts cleared it from danger.
Docherty sent in a dangerous cross to the front post which found Cameron who was left free. He hit a strike first time but it blazed over the crossbar.
The Wee Jambos took the lead before the break. Skipper Kenzi Nair lofted the ball forward from a deep free kick, Blair misjudged it and it looped over his head. Dom Plank nipped in behind and scored into an empty net for 2-1.
Half-time: Cowdenbeath 1-2 Hearts B
Hearts continued their good work in the second half. Connor Dow was dragged down in the box, and referee Robert Bowie pointed to the spot. His penalty was saved well by Blair, but Dow made no mistake with the follow up and scored into the bottom left corner for 3-1.
In the 68th minute, Jack Fisher hit a powerful strike for the hosts at the edge of the box, which forced a fantastic low save from Lyndon Tas.
Dom Plank continued to cause problems down the left wing, he drove forward and fired it across to Mackenzie Ross. His strike took a wicked deflection and hit the post, and went out for a Hearts corner which was defended well.
Cowdenbeath pulled a goal back in the 76th minute. The Jambos were dispossessed at the right corner flag, the ball was whipped in dangerously which found Sutherland in the box, who slotted past Tas into the bottom right corner.
The hosts got their equaliser late on. After a counter attack down the left, the ball was fizzed across the face of goal and Sutherland scored from close range.
The hosts could’ve nicked it right at the death. Hearts failed to clear it from danger, and the ball was fired over to MacPherson. His strike from a few yards out sailed over the bar in the end.
Hearts B were left frustrated to lose their second goal advantage late on, as the match ended in a draw.
Speaking to the Official Hearts Website after full-time, manager Angus Beith said:
“I thought we started the game poorly, we didn’t deal with the direct and second balls. We started the game quite flat and they obviously got the goal with a really good finish and and then we managed to flip the momentum and put them under pressure with balls in behind and winning more second balls, playing in their half a bit more.
“If I'm being honest, we probably got gifted the two goals that we got in the first half through goalkeeping errors, but it came from us starting to put them under pressure and playing in the right areas.
“We go 3-1 up in the second half and Connor does brilliantly to win the penalty and then scores the rebound, we're then managing the game well, but they start to put us under pressure."
The manager says he was disappointed that Hearts lost their two goal advantage.
“We just didn't manage that last part of the game well enough in terms of one of first and second contacts and I’m gutted that they were allowed to score two.
“We're pushing the boys and we're putting more of an onus on winning and finding a way to win. For us, we managed the game in parts pretty well, but then we didn’t see it out.
“We need to keep understanding and realising how we deal with the direct play together and finding a way to win these final two games.”
Cowdenbeath: Blair, Walker, Newman ©, MacPherson, Denham, Burke, Docherty, Whyte, Spence, Sutherland, Cameron
Subs: Smith, Fisher, Mulvanny, Hill, Fusco, Healy
Hearts: Tas, Smith, Nair ©, Stevenson (Smutek 82’), Plank (Duncan 82’), Crookston, James, Dow, Hogarth (Ross 60’), Osborne, Haddow
Subs: MacDonald, Smutek, Duncan, Gillies, Ross, Banks
