Hearts Avoid Potential Banana Skin With Spartans Win
Heart of Midlothian survived a potential banana skin against League 2 side Spartans to secure a place in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.
Macklin Motors-backed Hearts went into the tie having not played a match since 2 January due to the Scottish Premiership’s winter break, whilst Spartans had seen a five game winning run ended last weekend with a home loss against Stenhousemuir.
Without talisman Lawrence Shankland, and with goalkeeper Craig Gordon returning to the side for the first time in more than a year after injury, Hearts made the short trip across the city bidding to avoid a cup upset – particularly given the game would be played out live on BBC Scotland.
Hearts grabbed the lead after just twelve minutes when a cross from the left from Jorge Grant was headed into the net by Kenneth Vargas, settling the nerves of those away fans who had made the short trip to cheer on their team.
Spartans grew into the game on their artificial pitch however, with Gordon forced to make a smart save to deny Callum Booth when he rifled in a shot from the edge of the box that the veteran was able to tip over the bar.
The home side forced Gordon into another save from Ayrton Sonkur before Blair Carswell did well to prevent Vargas from scoring his second before the break.
Vargas was again denied before Spartans grabbed a fine equaliser, with a mis-hit cross from Booth being volleyed in first time by James Craigen to bring the League 2 side level shortly after the hour mark.
Carswell continued to be equal to anything Hearts could throw at him but in stoppage time, a corner from Alex Cochrane was nodded into the net by Frankie Kent to put the Jam Tarts through to the next round.
The reward for making it through to the last 16 is a trip to Championship side Airdrieonians on the weekend of 10/11 February.