Wallace kick-starts easy work for Hearts

Graham Clark at Rugby Park
Thursday February 17, 2005
The Guardian

Hearts repeated their weekend league win over Kilmarnock to set up a home Scottish Cup quarter-final against struggling Livingston.

This replay was negotiated with ease as goals from the 17-year-old Lee Wallace, Lee Miller and the Lithuanian debutant Deividas Cesnauskis sealed the fate of Kilmarnock, for whom Kris Boyd scored a penalty with the last kick.

This was an explosive tie from the outset with Boyd's scything tackle on Robbie Neilson after six seconds setting the tone.

That, though, merely fired up Hearts, who responded in some style. Two goals in the opening 13 minutes put the Tynecastle team firmly in charge and only bookings for Steven Pressley and Stephen Simmons interrupted their first-half flow.

Their first goal, after six minutes, was due entirely to Wallace, who ran the length of the pitch, played a one-two with Dennis Wyness, and then swept his shot high into the net. The second came from a Miller header after the striker reacted brilliantly to a Paul Hartley free-kick that deflected off Simon Ford.

Home frustration was illustrated by a shot into the side-netting from Boyd that was followed by a booking for the striker for another heavy challenge on Neilson and a further yellow card for Gary McDonald.

Hearts, much the better team, emphasised the point with a third goal after 57 minutes that was made in Lithuania, as Saulius Mikoliunas set up Cesnauskis, who beat Alan Combe easily.

Desperation more than realism prompted two home penalty claims, for hand-ball against Andy Webster and then a gentle push on Steven Naismith. Aside from those appeals, and Boyd's penalty, the second half was largely academic.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer