Last seasons finalists kicked off this seasons Scottish Youth Cup campaign when they welcomed Whitehill Welfare to New Victoria Park. The Hearts youngsters had the game wrapped up by half time with a brace from Robbie Buchanan and a penalty from Alistair Roy to progress to the fourth round but Whitehill can be proud of their performance against a good Hearts side.

 

Whitehill Welfare got the game under way and it was the home team who started the better with Alistair Roy showed his intent within the first five minutes by driving into the box from the left hand side, but failing to produce a clear-cut chance.

 

Hearts were very composed at the back choosing to play the ball out from the back which was accompanied by a midfield who were moving the ball well from side to side.

 

The first real chance came eight minutes in when Hearts were awarded a free kick 20 yards out after Nathan Flanagan was fouled. Aaron Scott stepped up but his effort was straight at Christopher Malcolm in the Whitehill goal.

 

Whitehill were struggling to cope with Hearts pace and movement especially down the left hand side but it was a ball played wide right which was to lead to the opening goal in this game in the 18th minute. Liam Gordon picked up the ball wide and played in Roy who in turn gave it back to Gordon who had got himself into the box. Gordon went down in a heap and the referee pointed to the spot for what looked a very soft penalty. Buchanan stepped up and dispatched the penalty low into the right hand corner leaving Malcolm who went the other way with no chance.

 

Whitehill came close to getting on level terms only minutes later through James Flynn when he picked up the ball on the left and cut inside and released a low powerful shot from the edge of the box which Brown got down well to save.

 

Hearts front line of Roy and Buchanan were terrorizing the Whitehill back line and both had shots blocked by Jardine and Andrew Swinney respectively to keep Hearts extending their lead.

 

The very impressive Roy was again on the end of a good Hearts move but saw his cut back from the bye line cleared by Jardine before any of the Hearts players could benefit.

 

Hearts doubled their lead in the 30th minute when some neat football in a tight area saw the ball land at Roy's feet from 15 yards out who finished well, low into the left hand corner.

 

Hearts were deserving of their lead and five minutes later put themselves firmly in the driving seat of this cup tie when Buchanan latched onto a lovely little ball over the top from Liam Henderson to finish well with a driven shot into the far corner.

 

It was Flanagan who tested Malcolm next but did not catch the shot the way he wanted and the Whitehill keeper saved easily.

Hearts started the half the way they finished the first and it was Flanagan who had the first real chance of the half on the 50th minute when he saw his shot go just wide after a good driving run.

 

Whitehill could have crumbled at half time but were showing great fight and were still trying to play good football and this led to a great opportunity for them to get back into the game on the 56th minute. A Whitehill free kick played into the box from the right saw the referee point to the spot. Both sets of players and officials looked bemused at the decision but the referee clearly gestured that there had been a shirt pull on the Whitehill player. Heart's Buchanan received the first booking of the game so it can only be assumed he was the culprit.

 

Flynn placed the ball on the spot and struck a super penalty but Brown saved brilliantly down low to his left.

 

Roy and Buchanan were a continual thorn in Whitehill's side with their pace and movement and both looked hungry for more goals.

 

Hearts were more happy to keep possession now and worked the ball well, just probing for the chance to the attack Whitehill's goal.

 

The 88th min saw Malcolm make his first real save of the second half after Flanagan played in Buchanan who saw his shot well saved

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Hearts finished the game on top as they had been for the majority of this match and will now await their opponents in the next round as they hope to better their runners-up finish from last season.