Hearts B secured a huge three points against early title contenders Linlithgow Rose at the Vanloq Community Stadium- Ainslie Park on Friday evening.
The Wee Jambos found themselves 2-0 up at the break thanks to an own goal from striker Blair Henderson and a finish from Tommy North.
Mackenzie Ross came off the bench in the second 45 to win and score a penalty to seal Hearts’ first home victory and second clean sheet of the current campaign.
Angus Beith made one change from Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat against Berwick Rangers. Alfie Osborne came in to replace Aiden Haddow in midfield.
Hearts had a chance in the opening minute to go ahead. North did well to weave his way through the Rose backline but could only fire straight at Binnie in the visitors' goa.
Linlithgow’s biggest threat going forward was winger Stenhouse. In the 11th minute, he dribbled down the left wing and cut inside into the box and looked to curl one on his right foot, but his effort went wide of the target.
The men in maroon opened the scoring in the 14th minute. The corner was played in from the right to the front post, Dow arrived to get the flick on but it took a massive deflection off striker Blair Henderson which caught out Binnie and into the back of the net for 1-0.
The Wee Jambos doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute. Connor Dow let fly straight at Binnie and his strike partner Tommy North followed in to score the rebound from close range for 2-0.
Half-time: Hearts 2-0 Linlithgow Rose
The Jam Tarts looked to continue where they left off going into the second half.
But in the 56th minute, both sides were reduced to 10 men following an off the ball incident. Ciaran Greene was shown a straight red card while Connor Dow was branded a second yellow card by referee Blair McAlpine.
Despite some attacking pressure from the visitors, captain Kai Smutek continued to impress in defence for Hearts making countless headed clearances and thwarted Linlithgow at every opportunity.
In the 81st minute, Mack Ross drove into the box and was chopped down, as the referee pointed to the spot for a penalty kick.
Ross stepped up and coolly dispatched his penalty into the bottom right corner for 3-0.
He could have made it a brace not long after after some brilliant work from Henry James down the left who fizzed in a low cross for Ross, who looked to place one into the bottom right corner but Binnie made a good stop to deny him.
In the 88th minute, substitute Callen Robb got a shot away from a tight angle in the box which forced a save from Binnie.
The striker had another decent opportunity in the 90th minute as Ross dribbled down the left wing and squared it for Robb from a few yards out, but he couldn’t quite get the right connection as Linlithgow cleared it from danger.
In the end, it was a deserved three points for the Wee Jambos in the Lowland League.
Hearts: Tas, Crookston, James, Smutek ©, Smith, Osborne, Dow, Muirhead, Wilson, Walker, North
Subs: Lyon, Ross, Radcliffe, Banks, Robb
Linlithgow Rose: Binnie, Thomson ©, Greene, Paterson, Henderson, Stenhouse, Berry, Hamilton, Smith, Watson, Kennedy
Subs: Clark GK, McMullan, Rae, Sneddon, Smith, Allan, Maguire
