Hearts booked a spot at Hampden after beating Stenhousemuir 3-0 in the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup.
First-half goals from JJ Williams and Rogers Mato had the Jam Tarts in control, with Yan Dhanda adding a third in a comfortable evening at Ochilview.
Head Coach Wouter Vrancken made six changes from the side that beat Dundee last weekend. Williams, Mato, Christian Borchgrevink, Harry Milne, Sabri Guendouz and Sabah Kerjota all came into the starting line up with Calvin Miller, Claudio Braga, Landry Kabore, Josh McPake, James Wilson and Jordi Altena moving to the bench.
The Jambos were nearly ahead less than a minute in following some lovely flowing football, which saw Tomas Magnusson cross for Guendouz but he sent his header over the bar.
Stenhousemuir created a chance of their own inside ten minutes. Evading offside from a throw in, Kinlay Bilham ran onto the ball inside the Hearts box but lashed his shot over.
Bang on the half hour mark, Magnusson did well to hold the ball inside the Stenny box before sending Mato down the left. He turned his man inside out to float a ball into the middle, and although Williams connected with a free header, he could only send it straight into the arms of Darren Jamieson.
Five minutes later the Jam Tarts took the lead. Guendouz’s cross was headed clear but sent back into the area by Stu Findlay, Magnusson took it down and Williams pounced to slam home from close range.
It was 2-0 shortly after. The impressive Guendouz drove at the backline before slipping in Mato, and he carried the ball into the box before blasting beyond Jamieson to double the Jambos’ lead.
A brace of chances nearly added to Hearts’ tally before the half was out. First, Jamieson made a good stop to deny Williams then Laurent Mendy curled an effort narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box.
Mato was a livewire down the left and went close to making it 3-0 after an hour. Guendouz’s corner was met by the Ugandan, who leapt majestically to steer a header towards the bottom corner but Jamieson stuck a leg out to turn the ball away.
Another clinical passing move saw Hearts 3-0 up with 15 minutes to go. The ball made its way from left to right, with Borchgrevink hooking a cross to the back door for Williams to knock down and substitute Dhanda to stab into an empty net.
Substitute Altena nearly added a fourth late on, twisting and turning his way through the box before hitting a low drive towards the bottom corner but Jamieson got down to turn the ball around the post.
A controlled performance overall from the Jambos – unbeaten in nine - who now have a semi-final and a trip to Hampden to look forward to.
Stenhousemuir: Jamieson, Meechan, Young (Buchanan, 77’), Robson, Shinnie (Carrick, 63’), O’Donnell (O’Reilly, 63’), Bilham, Michael Anderson, Scott Bright, Hodgkiss (McIntyre, 63’), Grant (Penman, 45’).
Subs: Hemfrey, Aitken, Scally, Jamieson.
Hearts: Reus, Borchgrevink (Altena, 78’), McCart, Williams (Kabore, 78’), Findlay, Milne (Kingsley, 72’), Guendouz, Magnusson (Dhanda, 65’), Kerjota, Mato (Miller, 72’), Mendy.
Subs: Fulton, Braga, McPake, Wilson.
