Hearts B came from two goals down to win 3-2 against Queen of the South at Palmerston on Tuesday night.
The home side were two up at the break, but three goals in six minutes from Tommy North, Bobby McLuckie and Gus Stevenson saw the points return to the capital.
Angus Beith made three changes from the weekend draw with Clydebank as Matty Gillies, Stevenson and McLuckie came into the side.
The Wee Jambos will feel a little aggrieved to have not picked up a victory in their recent matches and they started the far better of the sides in Dumfries, with the high press a particular factor in the early stages.
Hearts should really have gone ahead inside three minutes when Connor Dow produced a smart flick round the corner for Stevenson to send the attacker through on goal, but under pressure, he fired over.
From the resulting goal kick, the Wee Jambos nicked possession on the edge of the area and Owen Muirhead saw an effort deflected into the arms of Lawton Green.
The home side eased their way into the game and after a flurry of corners which Hearts defended well, Lyndon Tas produced an excellent double save on 18 minutes to keep the scores level.
Queens attacked down the right and when the ball was cut back to Billy Gray, his first effort was brilliantly kept out by Tas, who leapt to his right to get a strong hand on the ball, before reacting quickly to beat away the rebound.
Both teams were enjoying spells in the final third and the Wee Jambos almost went in midway through the first half when a dangerous Bobby McLuckie delivery was headed only inches wide of goal by a Queens defender.
The ball did find its way into the net just seconds later, but unfortunately for the Wee Jambos, it was up the other end as a smart ball down the left wing saw the ball cut back for Freddie O’Donoghue and he fired low across goal and into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Hearts hadn’t done a lot wrong in the first half, but they were two behind just after the half hour mark. A clever set play saw the ball nodded back across goal and Mikey Hewitt was waiting to tap home to double the hosts’ advantage heading into the interval.
Half-time: QOS 2-0 Hearts B
Much like the first half, the Wee Jambos started the period with a bit of energy and almost found the net through Connor Dow on two occasions after the break.
Firstly, the striker latched onto a through ball from Gregor Crookston, he was able to poke the ball past the onrushing Green, but his effort rolled just wide of the target.
A few minutes later, Hearts broke through McLuckie, who again whipped in an inviting delivery which at full stretch, just evaded the number nine.
Hearts were playing the better stuff in the second half. A triple substitution added extra energy, as the home side began to look a little leggy and the Wee Jambos deservedly pulled one back through Tommy North on 73 minutes, the substitute slotting home after some poor play at the back from the home side.
The game tipped even further in Hearts’ favour, and just two minutes later, parity was restored. Bobby McLuckie latching onto a ball down the middle and poking the ball under the onrushing Green.
Hearts didn’t let up and with all the momentum on their side, it was comeback complete on 79 minutes. The ball was worked in off the left wing and with Hearts shirts seemingly queuing up to tap the ball home, Gus Stevenson obliged to put Hearts in front.
With the home side clearly shocked at what had unfolded, a response was expected in the closing stages, but it didn’t really materialise, and it was the Wee Jambos who came closest to scoring again, as Matty Gillies saw an effort touched onto the bar by Green.
Hearts saw out the closing stages however to record their first win in the KDM Evolution Trophy and ensure a happy bus back to Edinburgh.
Queen of the South: Green, Hewitt, Charters, Lyon, Douglas ©, Hannah, Smith, Rogerson, Stott, O’Donoghue, Gray
Subs: Stewart, Hannah, Kennedy, Dickenson, Morton, Hall
Hearts: Tas, Crookston (Glasgow, 64), Smutek, Smith, Osborne, Gillies, Dow (North, 64), Muirhead (Hogarth, 64), Stevenson, S. Wilson (Haddow, 80), McLuckie (Ross, 89)
Subs: MacDonald, James, Ross, Haddow, Plank, Glasgow, Hogarth, North, McMeekin
