Hearts B were defeated 3-1 by Berwick Rangers at Ainslie Park on Tuesday night.
Angus Beith made three changes from the weekend trip to East Kilbride with Henry James, Euan Banks and Liam Walker coming in from the start.
The Wee Jambos performed well in defeat at the weekend, but they got off to the worst possible start in this one, as the visitors opened the scoring after just two minutes.
A free kick delivered from wide right was met by an unmarked Liam Buchanan and he rose highest to send a looping header past Lyndon Tas.
The men in maroon weren’t behind for long and it was very much a case of the first two chances of the evening found the back of the net as Henry James restored parity on 15 minutes.
The full back cut in off the left wing and let fly with his low strike catching out Berwick ‘keeper Liam Campbell.
Chances were few and far between in the first half, but Hearts almost completed the comeback just before the half hour mark. A patient spell of possession eventually saw the ball slipped through to Aiden Haddow, but his effort was stopped by Campbell.
Half-time: Hearts B 1-1 Berwick Rangers
It was a case of déjà vu at the beginning of the second half as the visitors regained their lead within seconds of the restart. A cross from the right, this time headed in by Michael Mbewe at the back post.
Things went from bad to worse as Buchanan bagged his second of the afternoon, just three minutes later. After a good stop from Lyndon Tas kept out Mbewe, the ball was moved wide right, and a teasing, in-swinging delivery was glanced in by the striker to put Berwick 3-1 ahead.
The Wee Jambos huffed and puffed, but they were always tasked with an uphill battle following that quickfire sucker punch.
Connor Dow almost pulled a goal back after a smart run and touch down the left channel, but from a tight angle, he sliced his effort wide on 65 minutes.
The visitors started to nullify Hearts and hit on the break, and they almost added a fourth through Harry Wright but after some determined running, his effort was kept out by Tas at his near post.
Dow came close again in the final moments, forcing Campbell into a smart stop, but that was the last action as the visitors ran out 3-1 victors.
Angus Beith’s side will now turn their attentions to Friday’s home match against Linlithgow Rose.
Hearts: Tas, Crookston (Kelly, 85), James, Smutek ©, Smith, Dow, Haddow (Ross, 61), Muirhead, Banks (Robb, 55), S. Wilson, Walker
Subs: Lyon, Ross, Radcliffe, Kelly, Robb
Berwick Rangers: Campbell, Sneddon, Pyper ©, Somers, Mair, Buchanan, Mbewe, Barfoot, Ellison, Wright, McCrone
Subs: Robinson, MacKenzie, Binnie, Devers, Hendry, McConnell, Harris
