Hearts B hammered Edinburgh University 12-0 on Friday night to return to second place in the Lowland League table.
Liam Fox made four changes from the side that defeated Gala Fairydean Rovers before Christmas. James Wilson led the line following Makenzie Kirk’s loan move to Hamilton, there were also starts for Mackenzie Ross, Ethan Drysdale and Harry Gordon.
Wilson wasted no time in showing the Jambos fans in attendance what he was capable of with two goals in the first ten minutes. Bobby McLuckie is enjoying another successful season on the left wing, and he was the architect of much of Hearts’ early play.
He had the beating of his man in the early stages and after crossing for Ross, the ball was laid off to Wilson to tap home from close range.
Seconds later, the ball was in the Uni net once again. Callum Sandilands sent a perfect through ball down the middle for Wilson, who kept his cool to finish low past Smith Samuel.
The third goal arrived on the 25-minute mark, and it was an unfortunate goal for the students to concede. Harry Gordon tried his luck from the edge of the box and with Samuel diving in the original direction of the shot, the ball deflected off a Uni defender and looped high into the net.
Just two minutes later, McLuckie got the goal his early play had deserved. This time it was Sandilands with the cross and McLuckie was in the right place to finish at the back post.
There was no let up from the men in maroon and just a minute later, they made it five. Again, it came down the left-hand side and Adam Forrester was unmarked at the back post and he produced a smart finish low into the bottom corner.
Two minutes from the interval came perhaps the pick of the bunch. A lovely one-two between Sandilands and McLuckie on the edge of the box saw the former take the ball round Samuel and tap into the empty net.
The seventh arrived just a minute later. James Wilson, on a hat-trick, this time turned provider, and his low cross from the left was met by the onrushing Ryan Duncan to side-foot home from just inside the penalty box.
Incredibly, Hearts had a chance to make it eight before the break. Sandilands was brought down by Samuel, but the stopper redeemed himself to save the Hearts midfielders' spot-kick.
Half-time: Hearts B 7-0 Edinburgh University
There was a welcome return to action for Finlay Pollock who was introduced at the break and the Wee Jambos started where they left off, with goal number eight arriving from the penalty spot, three minutes after the restart.
This time, Wilson stepped up and although Samuel got a hand to his strike, the power was enough to see the striker bag the match ball.
Pollock marked his return with a goal with just under 15 minutes to play. He cut in off the right wing and produced a smart finish with his left-foot past Samuel.
With ten minutes to play, goal number ten arrived. McLuckie was still being given the ball at every opportunity, and Luke Rathie had got forward from defence to nod home his cross, unmarked at the back post.
Goals eleven and twelve arrived in the final five minutes. Firstly, substitute Gus Stevenson tapped home from close range before Harry Gordon rounded off a memorable evening in stoppage time, slamming home McLuckie’s cross, via the underside of the crossbar.
Hearts B: McFarlane, Flatman ©, McLuckie, Wilson, Sandilands (Pollock, 46), Gordon, Drysdale (Dall, 53) Forrester (Nair, 76), Duncan (Stevenson, 70), Rathie, Ross (Crookston, 76)
Subs: McConnell, Dall, Pollock, Stevenson, Nair, Crookston
Edinburgh University: Samuel, McGinley, Macrae, Taylor, Trialist, Dick, Maskrey, Garrad, Wardell, Lamm, Raphael
Subs: Murray, Clark, Aitken, Johnston, Kinsman, Hendry, Maurice
