Hearts 3 Dunfermline 1

Neil McCann lifted Hearts back up the Scottish League tonight and improved his own international prospects in the process.

The tricky Tynecastle winger scored once and set up the Edinburgh club's two other goals as they sealed a comfortable victory.

Hearts now move above Rangers into second spot, level on points with leaders Celtic, but below them on goal difference.

McCann opened the scoring and Stephane Adam added the second before Andy Smith pulled a goal back with 14 minutes to go.

However, Hearts had the last word, with Steve Fulton grabbing the third goal right on the stroke of full time.

Hearts came into the game looking to restore their title credentials, after losing 2-1 at home to Celtic 10 days ago.

They started brightly enough, and McCann put them ahead in the 14th minute after playing a neat one-two with Adam.

McCann's pace, one of his strengths, took him clear of the Dunfermline defence, and his finish was clinical.

It was his fifth goal of the season, but Dunfermline should have drawn level 11 minutes later when Gerry Britton missed a golden opportunity.

Canadian international Colin Miller played the ball in, and Britton broke clear only to drive the ball against the post from four yards.

Dunfermline goalkeeper Westwater came to the rescue eight minutes before the break when he did superbly well to tip over a header from David Weir, after Fulton had delivered the cross.

Westwater seemed to have lost little of his confidence despite the 7-0 trouncing by Rangers in his last match and again showed superb reflexes in the 52nd minute.

Hearts striker Jim Hamilton released Colin Cameron, but somehow Westwater managed to parry his goalbound effort.

Hearts extended their lead in the 74th minute when McCann held the ball up, waiting for Adam to make his run.

He timed his pass perfectly, and the Frenchman drove a shot beyond Westwater into the corner from the corner of the penalty area.

But Hearts were caught napping two minutes later when Greg Shields was allowed time and space on the left and delivered the cross which Andy Smith bundled home.

Hearts sewed the game up in the final minute when McCann released Fulton and he clipped the ball into the corner.

Teams:

Hearts: Rousset, Locke, Pointon (McManus 74), Weir, Salvatori, Ritchie, McCann, Fulton, Hamilton, Cameron, Adam.

Subs Not Used: Quitongo, Robertson.

Booked: Fulton, Salvatori.

Goals: Adam 73, Fulton 90, McCann 13.

Dunfermline: Westwater, Shields, Millar, Tod, Barnett, Welsh, Shaw, Duarte, Smith, French, Britton (Moore 68).

Subs Not Used: Curran, Miller.

Booked: Smith, Duarte.

Goals: Smith 76.

Att: 14,493

Ref: J Fleming (Glasgow).

Taken from sportinglife.com