Hearts B made it two Lowland League wins from two on Saturday as they defeated Gala Fairydean Rovers 5-1 at Netherdale.
The damage was done in the first half hour with a brace from James Wilson either side of a Mackenize Ross tap in. The home side pulled one back before the break and in a quiet second half, Hearts limited their opponents to very little, before Callum Sandilands and Gus Stevenson added further gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages.
Liam Fox freshened up his side from the midweek penalty shootout defeat to Fraserburgh. James Wilson, Finlay Pollock, Luke Rathie and Macaulay Tait all came into the starting 11 as Lucas Smith, Ryan Duncan, Dom Plank and Matty Gillies dropped out.
It was a bright start from the men in maroon and after Pollock fired a free kick into the side netting, Wilson opened the scoring after just nine minutes. As he was so many times last season, Bobby McLuckie was the architect, driving down the left. There looked to be few options available for the Hearts number seven, but he managed to dig out the perfect low cross for Wilson, who was on his toes and able to open his body and side foot home into the far corner.
Much like last weekend against East Stirlingshire, the Hearts attackers were enjoying themselves, particularly in wide areas.
Pollock delivered a dangerous cross that just evaded Wilson in the box, but back down the left, McLuckie put Hearts’ second goal of the afternoon on a plate for Mackenzie Ross. More positive play from the Hearts winger saw him get to the byline, before crossing for Ross to tap home from a matter of yards on 23 minutes.
It was already looking like a long afternoon for the home side and the third goal arrived just two minutes later, as Wilson bagged his second of the afternoon, curling past Sam Scott in the Gala goal.
The game was over as a contest by this point and the post denied Hearts a fourth on the half-hour mark. A brilliant run from deep from Callum Sandilands saw him evade the Gala offside trap, he was through on goal and with Scott beaten, his effort came back off the post.
Scott was again called into action on 33 minutes, beating away a vicious strike from Wilson, after Pollock had won possession high up the park and slipped the ball through for the number nine.
Gala pulled a goal back in the final minute of the half, as Hearts failed to deal with a ball into the box, Jamie MacDonald made a brilliant initial stop but Kieran Dolan was first to fire home on the rebound.
Half-time: Gala Fairydean Rovers 1-3 Hearts B
The second half began in scrappier fashion, and it was Gala who looked the more threatening, mainly from set plays, but there was nothing of note for MacDonald to deal with.
Just before the hour mark, Dom Plank and Gus Stevenson were introduced and just like last week against Shire, a wonderful solo run from the former almost resulted in a goal. This time, Plank cut in off the right wing, but sliced his effort just wide.
It hadn’t been a second half full of chances, but the men in maroon did add a fourth goal before the final whistle. Patient build-up down the left involving Plank saw the ball laid off to Sandilands, who picked his spot to curl home a wonderful finish.
The Wee Jambos weren’t done there either and in stoppage time, Sandilands turned provider, still running all over the pitch, he raced down the left and crossed for Stevenson to fire home at the back post and round off a professional performance from the Jam Tarts.
Gala Fairydean Rovers: Scott, Sneddon, Cassidy, Jacobs ©, Hall, Trialist, Dougal, Wylie, Greene, Dolan, Watt
Subs: Murray, Trialist, Beagley, Trialist, Maskrey, Reilly, Ocholi
Hearts: MacDonald, Smutek, McLuckie (Duncan, 73), Wilson, Sandilands, Ross (Stevenson, 58), Lister (Gillies, 83), Forrester © (Smith, 83), Rathie, Tait, Pollock (Plank, 58)
Subs: Tas, Smith, Stevenson, Duncan, Plank, Gillies, Crookston
