Hearts B were defeated 1-0 by Stirling University at Ainslie Park on Friday night.
The students took the lead midway through the first half, thanks to Ciaran McAninch and that was the only goal of the game as the Jam Tarts fell to only their second defeat of the season.
It was the Wee Jambos who had the first chance of the evening inside the opening two minutes. The ball was worked wide left to Bobby McLuckie and he let fly from the corner of the 18-yard box, but his effort was beaten away by Yan Gromon Godik.
McLuckie looked the liveliest in the early exchanges, he again cut in off the left flank and forced a good save from Godik.
The men in maroon were knocking the ball around nicely in the early stages but Uni hadn’t shipped many goals this season and it showed, they were quick to get men behind the ball when out of possession and frustrated Hearts for the majority of the half.
The visitors hadn’t had many chances in front of goal, but they took the lead from the penalty spot on 20 minutes. After a bit of a scramble, the referee pointed to the spot for what appeared to be some holding at a corner and Ciaran McAninch stepped up to curl the ball into the top corner.
That goal seemed to spook the Jambos and they weren’t really themselves for the remainder of the half.
It was the students who came closest to adding a second before the break Isa Aslanoglu curled a free kick off the outside of the post from 25-yards.
Into the second half, Mackenzie Ross and James Wilson were both introduced shortly after the break as the game continued in a similar fashion.
The Wee Jambos struggled to create clear-cut openings until the final ten minutes. McLuckie’s cross from the left picked out Ross but his goal-bound effort was deflected behind.
McLuckie had looked the most threatening in a maroon jersey all evening and he again came close six minutes from time as his curling effort had Godik stranded, but his effort landed on the roof of the net.
That was the way it stayed as Hearts failed to find the net for the first time this season as the students took all three points.
Hearts: McFarlane, Tait, McLuckie, Sandilands, Kirk, Thomas (Ross, 56), Gordon, Nair (Dall, 76), Drysdale, Duncan (Wilson, 52), Rathie
Subs: McConnell, Dall, Wilson, Smutek Ross
University of Stirling: Godik, Heal, Aslanoglu, Service, Lavery, Russell, Scally, McAninch, Maciver-Redwood, McKinley, Stokes
Subs: Torregiani, Moffett, Morns, Docherty, Malcolm, De Zoefen, Woloszyn
