Comfortable Win Sees Hearts Progress
Macklin Motors-backed Heart of Midlothian secured a quarter-final spot in the Scottish Cup with a comfortable victory against Airdrieonians.
Hearts had needed an injury time goal to see of The Spartans in the fourth round, but were in control throughout against their Championship opponents this time around as the Edinburgh side set up a tie with Greenock Morton.
Any hope of an upset disappeared early in the fifth round tie when Lawrence Shankland turned in a cross from Alex Cochrane to give Hearts the lead after just eleven minutes.
Mason Hancock then struck the bar for the home side with a header following a corner before Hearts went two up – Kenneth Vargas getting on the end of a long ball from Craig Halkett to bundle in the second.
Just four minutes later, and with only 21 minutes on the clock, Hearts put the game beyond their opponents when Calem Nieuwenhof skipped in from the right hand side before firing a shot into the bottom corner.
A fine header from Adam Frizzell gave Airdrieonians faint hope of a comeback but in the second half, Alan Forrest missed a great chance to add to Hearts’ tally before Shankland grabbed his second to wrap up the tie.
Hearts return to Tynecastle next to face Motherwell in league action.