Ten-man Hearts B came from 2 goals down in the second half to force a penalty shootout against Brechin City on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t enough to progress, as the Glebe Park side ran out 5-3 victors in the shootout.
Liam Fox made three changes from the side which drew with Gala Fairydean Rovers at the weekend. Callum Flatman, Ethan Drysdale and James Wilson all came into the side as Bailey Dall, Mackenzie Ross and Harry Gordon dropped out.
It was a lively beginning with both sides trying to get forward in numbers, however neither goalkeeper was tested in the opening 20 minutes.
The home side had threatened from a corner shortly before, and the Wee Jambos didn’t learn their lesson as Fraser MacLeod made a good front post run and provided a neat flick to beat Liam McFarlane down low.
The goal had given Brechin a lift, after the Wee Jambos had perhaps shaded the early stages, however the game flipped eleven minutes from the interval when Luke Rathie was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident.
It went from bad to worse for the men in maroon, as the home side doubled their lead less than 60 seconds later. Again, it came from another intelligent flick, this time from Grady McGrath, which sent the hosts down the tunnel two goals to the good.
Half-time Brechin City 2-0 Hearts B
The Wee Jambos had nothing to lose in the second half and they came flying out the traps after the break.
Firstly, Makenzie Kirk struck the crossbar before McCabe denied Bobby McLuckie’s follow-up four minutes into the second half.
The chances kept coming for Hearts and the ten-men were given the perfect opportunity to halve the deficit when Kirk was brought down in the box.
The Hearts number 10 dusted himself down and dispatched the penalty to haul the Wee Jambos off the canvas fifteen minutes from time.
Just four minutes later, Hearts were back on terms. The ball was worked wide to Rocco Friel, who took one touch before unleashing a thunderbolt that flew into the top corner past McCabe.
It was an open final ten minutes as both sides tried to find a winner and avoid a penalty shootout. It was the home side who came closest, after Stuart Heenan pulled the ball back for McGrath, but he sent his effort high over the bar, as we headed to a shootout.
Successful conversions from Kirk, James Wilson and Bobby McLuckie weren’t enough for the Wee Jambos after Callum Sandilands penalty was brilliantly saved by McCabe. The home side converted all five of their spot kicks to progress to the second round of the SPFL Trust Trophy.
Brechin City: McCabe, Mudie, McHattie, Thomson, Spark ©, Patrick, McGrath, Macleod, Cruickshank, McArthur, Loudon
Subs: Wilson, Heenan, Moreland, White
Hearts: McFarlane, Flatman (Chisholm, 65), McLuckie, Wilson, Sandilands, Kirk, Nair, Drysdale (Smutek, 52), Duncan, Rathie, Friel
Subs: McConnell, Gordon, Smutek, Ross, Chisholm, Plesiewicz, Muirhead
