Hearts B fell to a 2-0 defeat against Bo’ness United at Ainslie Park on Friday.
Goals either side of half-time from Thomas Grant and Kyle Johnston wrapped up the points for the BUs, but the Wee Jambos were left to rue chances missed in a competitive match.
Liam Fox’s side emerged from the traps quickly, with McLuckie and Plank combining in the opening minute to get a shot away at Liam Campbell in goal, with the offside flag soon going up.
From there, Bo’ness asserted themselves in the game and hit the crossbar through Kyle Johnston before taking the lead moments later after 19 minutes. Kai Smutek conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area, with the resulting delivery sweeped home by Thomas Grant.
Hearts tried to respond quickly, with Mackenzie Ross sending a header wide from a glorious position after a quick ball across the face of goal from Bobby McLuckie.
The battle raged on with both sides seeing further chances go astray: Thomas Stenhouse had a goal chopped off for offside after playing a devastating one-two, whilst Mackenzie Ross saw his low drive saved after pouncing on a mistimed header.
Plank and McLuckie led the charge in the second half, with both seeing chances go wide before Bo’ness claimed their second after 61 minutes. A Grant delivery from the corner found Kyle Johnston unmarked at the back post, who finished with aplomb to double the lead.
Both sides kept at it but didn’t look like scoring until minutes before the end as Jamie MacDonald pulled off a stunning save to deny Louis Kennedy at the death.
A disappointing evening for the Wee Jambos who now look ahead to a home encounter with Broomhill at Ainslie Park next Friday.
Hearts B: MacDonald, Smith, Smutek, Stevenson, McLuckie (Muirhead 66’), Plank, Gillies, Ross, Lister, Forrester, Osborne (Duncan 57’)
Subs: Tas, Duncan, Muirhead, Hogarth, Glasgow, Burn
