Hearts 5, Cowdenbeath 0.

Betfred Cup

Attendance-7,486

A RASH moment from attacker Martin Scott cost Cowdenbeath dear in last night's key tie with Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle.

Things were going along fairly well for the Blues, they had had a few escapes but the scores were level after 32 minutes when Scott put in a rash challenge and was given a straight red card.

From that point on it was always going to be a struggle and the SPL side upped their game in the second period.

The gallant ten simply ran themselves into the ground but eventually Hearts used their extra man to grab the lead and then in the closing quarter they added goals at regular intervals.

In the end the record says that Hearts won 5-0 but had it stayed at 11 a-side who knows what could have happened.

Cowdenbeath's defence never gave up and Jamie Pyper and David Marsh covered every blade of grass while goalkeeper Dave McGurn had some fine saves.

In midfield Blair Malcolm, Robbie Buchanan and Kyle Miller worked hard but were eventually overrun.

The opening stages of the game saw Hearts eager to get forward and Michael Smith had a go which missed the target but Steven Naismith's effort in 20 minutes was blocked by Marsh.

Then in 32 minutes came Scott's rash challenge and the Blues were down to ten.

Cowdenbeath were keeping possession reasonably well without really threatening the Hearts goal and Michael Smith and Peter Haring tested McGurn before Kyle Miller's raking drive from the edge of the box was well saved.

No goals at the break and Cowden had to start the second period well but in 48 minutes they were caught out.

Ben Garrucio created the danger and new Hearts signing Steven MacLEAN scored from close in.

This gave the hosts what they wanted and Cowden were up against it now and the second goal came in 64 minutes.

After Smith had done the spadework Uche IKPEAZU found the bottom left hand corner.

As the game went into the last 20 minutes Cowdenbeath were defending pretty well but in 73 minutes number three came when a MacDonald cross was headed home by HARING.

Two minutes later Fraser Mullen fouled MacDonald in the box and NAISMITH converted the penalty and Hearts were out of sight.

Cowdenbeath never gave up and kept battling for every ball but with nine minutes to go Hearts went nap.

Jake Mulraney was the supplier and SMITH beat McGurn from the centre of the box.

The closing minutes saw Hearts still buzzing around the Cowden goal but some good work by the defence kept them out but the Betfred dream was over.

Hearts: Zlamal (7); Smith (6), Morrison (7); Berra (7), Souttar (7), Irving (5) (MacDonald 35 (6), Mulraney 79 (3)); Garrucio, Haring, Lafferty (Ikpeazu 54 (4)), Naismith (8), MacLean (7).

Cowdenbeath: Dave McGurn (7); Fraser Mullen (6), Jason Talbot (7); Jamie Pyper (7), David Marsh (7), Kyle Miller (7); Robbie Buchanan (6), Blair Malcolm (6), David Cox (4) (Jordyn Sheerin 36 (6) Harvey Swann 82 (2)), Martin Scott (4), Brad Smith (Kris Renton 58 (3). Subs not used, Bryan Gilfillan, Cammy Muirhead, Pat Scullion and Ryan Goodfellow.

Referee-Barry Cook (6).