Queen of the South were made to pay for a lacklustre performance in Edinburgh as six goals from five different players were more than enough for Heart of Midlothian to defeat the South 6-1.
AJ made two changes to this side that lost 3-0 at home to Inverness eight days ago with Nortei Nortey and Rhys McCabe returning to the starting line-up, replacing Niyah Joseph and the injured Joe McKee. It was a 4-3-3 formation for the visitors, with Nortey lining up in the centre of midfield, while Connor Shields led the line.
The hosts included current internationals Craig Gordon and Liam Boyce, while ex-Scotland players Christoph Berra and Steven Naismith also started for the Jambos.
There was an early scare for Queens as Gregor Buchanan went down holding his knee following a challenge on Steven Naismith. Thankfully for the visitors though Buchanan got up and was able to play on, a relief given there were no defenders amongst the subs.
Olly Lee, Hearts? main creative threat, almost got the opening goal after 10 minutes, his free header just six-yards out flying over Jack Leighfield?s goal.
10 minutes later though the home side went ahead through a piece of magic from Steven Naismith. A loose ball from McCabe in midfield found its way to Naismith, who unleashed a thunderous volley from all of 25-yards into the top corner of the net. Leighfield was left with absolutely no chance with Naismith?s goal of the season contender.
The home side should have doubled their lead after 27 minutes. After Leighfield saved a Boyce shot from close range, Lee somehow fired the rebound well over the bar from just three-yards out.
Halkett and Shields clash with Shields coming off worse with a stud marked ankle
Queens began to see more possession after the goal and arguably should have had a penalty after 29 minutes. A pinpoint ball through from Nortey found Shields in the area. Gordon came off his line, clattering Shields in the process, although referee Willie Collum was happy to wave play on.
Shields is flattened by Gordon but the referee decided it wasn`t worthy of a penalty
The Doonhamers were continuing to defend astutely while offering some sort of threat going forward, with Wullie Gibson seeing his 30-yard shot tipped over the bar by Gordon.
Gordon didn`t have to work too hard to tip Gibsons` effort over he bar
It only took one lapse of concentration at the back for the Jambos to double their lead though, doing so a minute into first-half injury time. Lee found himself in space down the Hearts right-hand side, delivering a ball into the backpost where Liam Boyce was waiting to nod home from close range for the Jambos second of the afternoon.
HT: Hearts 2-0 Queens
Queens certainly didn?t disgrace themselves in the first period, with the star quality in Hearts squad proving too much for the Doonhamers. It was the fifth time this season Queens went into the break losing, although on four of those occasions it has been the South who have bagged the first goal of the second period. Sadly, it wasn?t to be the case at Tynecastle.
23 seconds was all it took for Liam Boyce to grab his second of the afternoon, getting on the end of a low Aidy White cross to the back-post to tap in from just a few yards out.
Much like the game against Inverness, Queens struggled to get going in the second-half. Euan East replaced Aidan Fitzpatrick, before Dobbie made way on 66 minutes to hand a debut to the rapid Kieran McKechnie.
Despite struggling to create any clear-cut chances, the Doonhamers pulled a goal back on 72 minutes. A free-kick on the right-hand side, delivered in by McCabe, found Ayo Obileye at the back post. Obileye made no mistake in volleying home from inches out for his second goal for the club.
Obileye scores
Any chances of a miracle come back were shattered just four minutes later though. Another misplaced pass in Queens? half gave Jamie Walker plenty of space at the edge of the area to fire into the bottom left corner, restoring Hearts? three-goal advantage.
It got worse after 81 minutes as an unfortunate slip from Gregor Buchanan in the area allowed Stephen Kingsley to pick out Elliott Frear six-yards out to tap home.
Liam Boyce almost completed what would have been a deserved hat-trick on 89 minutes, but somehow volleyed wide from six-yards out while facing an open goal.
There was to be a sixth for the hosts though through another substitute in Josh Ginnelly, the wide-man striking his effort from all of 25-yards into Leighfield?s bottom corner.
FT: Hearts 6-1 Queens
After a disappointing defeat in the capital Queens are away from home again next week, travelling to Cappielow for the second time this season.
Finlay Jack