Hearts B defeated East Stirlingshire 2-1 away at Falkirk Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Henry James opened the scoring for the Wee Jambos before Mackenzie Ross made it 2-0 in the second half. Hearts got over the line to seal the three points despite a late strike from Matthew Flynn in the 90th minute.
Angus Beith made one enforced change from the 3-1 victory over Stirling University last Friday night. Lyndon Tas came in to replace Jack Lyon in goals.
Hearts looked impressive in the first half as they had most of the ball and controlled the tempo in the Falkirk sunshine.
Mackenzie Ross was slipped clean through on goal and drove into the penalty area. His strike was straight at Ollie Ecrepont in goal for The Shire.
East Stirlingshire looked to hit on the counter and utilise the wide areas.
The ball was whipped in from the left wing and Lucas McRoberts got his head on it, but his effort went wide of the post.
Moments later, The Shire had more joy down the left wing as O’Neill’s header went wide of the front post from a dangerous cross.
With 20 minutes gone, Ryan Duncan skipped past two players in midfield before hitting a strike on his right which forced a low stop from Ecrepont to keep it 0-0.
The Wee Jambos found the opener not long after. After some neat passing in the build up, the ball was played out to the right to Mackenzie Ross who fizzed it across the face of goal, and Henry James arrived to smash one home at the back post for 1-0.
Hearts then looked to increase their advantage.
Skipper Kenzie Nair played a great ball over the top of The Shire defence which found Mackenzie Ross, who looked to set up Matty Gillies. His strike on his right foot sailed over the crossbar.
Henry James continued to look threatening on the left wing who played it into the path of Mackenzie Ross, who looked to dink it over Ecrepont, but the goalkeeper made himself big and kept it out.
The Shire looked to hit back. The corner was played to the back post and a white shirt managed to get a strike away, which forced a brilliant reaction stop from Lyndon Tas.
Half-time: East Stirlingshire 0-1 Heart of Midlothian
The Jambos continued to control the proceedings in the second half.
Kenzi Nair had a chance to make it 2-0 on 48 minutes. Henry James drove into the box and played it across to the back post. Nair got a strike off on his left foot which forced a good reaction save from Ecrepont and The Shire eventually cleared it away from danger.
Hearts found their second goal in the 77th minute.
Matty Gillies slipped Mackenzie Ross through on goal, he showed great composure to round the goalkeeper and coolly slotted home for 2-0.
The Shire pulled a goal back in the final moments of the game.
Lucas McRoberts was played through into the box on the right, he looked to slot one past Tas on his right foot. The shot was initially saved but Matthew Flynn was on hand to force it over the line for the hosts.
East Stirlingshire: Ecrepont, Coutts, Docherty, Campbell, Gomis ©, McRoberts, O’Neil, Latona, Hynd, Murray, Inglis
Subs: Hendji, Lamont, Liddell, Penker, Macdonald, McColl, Flynn
Hearts: Tas, Nair ©, Smutek, Duncan, Plank (Hogarth 56’), Gillies (Banks 80’), Ross, James, Dall, Burn (Glasgow 46’), Haddow
Subs: MacDonald, Banks, Hogarth, Osborne, Mulholland, Glasgow
