Hearts’ Premier Sports Cup campaign came to an end on Saturday as the Jambos were beaten 2-0 by Falkirk at the Falkirk Stadium.
Steven Naismith made eight changes from the side that faced Dundee last time out, with only Gerald Taylor, James Penrice and Kenneth Vargas holding onto their spots in the starting line-up.
The returning Liam Boyce would’ve been keen to mark the occasion with a goal and he had the games first chance inside the opening minute. Blair Spittal flicked an intelligent pass round the corner for Yutaro Oda and the Japanese winger was on his bike down the right wing. The number 11 made it to the byline, before pulling back for Boyce, he shifted the ball onto his left foot but fired the ball high over the bar.
It had been a lively beginning at the Falkirk Stadium and two further opportunities fell to the men in maroon before the ten-minute mark.
Vargas was leading the line in the absence of Lawrence Shankland, and he almost broke the deadlock from Yan Dhanda’s corner. But on the second phase, his volley came back off the underside of the crossbar as Falkirk survived.
The Costa-Rican was then denied by Falkirk stopper Nicky Hogarth two minutes later after positive running from Oda carved out the chance, but it was a good stop from the feet of Hogarth.
Up the other end, Craig Gordon was called into action for the first time on 13 minutes after Calvin Miller found Gary Oliver, but he was denied by the Scot.
Perhaps Hearts’ clearest opening of the half arrived on 18 minutes. Blair Spittal slid the ball through for Oda, who had timed his run well, but was denied at point-blank range from the onrushing Hogarth.
It was an open half as we entered the final five minutes and both sides came close in transition. Firstly, Ross MacIver was sent clean through on Craig Gordon, but it was another big save from the Hearts stopper who stuck out his right foot to deny him.
Up the other end, Boyce lobbed the ball over the top for Spittal, but his left-foot volley was saved by Hogarth to ensure a scoreless first 45.
Half-time: Falkirk 0-0 Hearts
Seven minutes after the interval, the home side opened the scoring. Keelan Adams charged down the right wing and crossed low for Ethan Ross who fired the ball first-time past Gordon.
The Jambos huffed and puffed for a route back into the game, but it continued to evade them, despite the introductions of Alan Forrest, Lawrence Shankland, Barrie McKay and Cammy Devlin.
A second goal for Falkirk would’ve killed the tie as the game entered the final 15 minutes and Gordon again had to come up big to deny MacIver, after good play from Calvin Miller down the left wing.
The Bairns did add a second, eight minutes from the end as Dylan Tait fired home at the back post to ensure the home side progressed to the next round, despite a stoppage time red card for Ryan Shanley for a high boot.
Falkirk: Hogarth, Henderson, Donaldson ©, Spencer, MacIver (Shanley, 88), Oliver (Agyeman, 66), Adams, Tait, Ross (Yeats, 75), Mackie, Miller
Subs: Hayward, Yeats, McCann, Agyeman, Shanley, Sinclair, McCafferty, McCrone
Hearts: Gordon ©, Kingsley, Halkett, Oda (McKay, 63), Spittal (Devlin, 63), Boateng, Dhanda (Forrest, 56), Boyce (Shankland, 56), Penrice, Vargas, Taylor
Subs: Clark, Oyegoke, Grant, Shankland, McKay, Devlin, Rowles, Forrest, Musa
Attendance, 6,653
