Queens Fall To The Champions

Hearts kick-started their Tynecastle title party with a convincing win over a lacklustre Queen of the South.

Goals in each half from Osman Sow and Alim Ozturk were enough for the home side in a match where they rarely looked troubled.

It was the second defeat in less than a week for James Fowler's side though, who seem to be stalling in their battle for the play-offs.

But the day belonged to Hearts a week after they were crowned champions.

Robbie Neilson named the same side which saw off Falkirk last weekend and was determined that his side would not be taking the foot off the gas.

His words were heeded with Hearts ahead in only a matter of minutes.

Swedish forward Osman Sow skipped through the Queens defence and expertly drilled the ball low into the net from 12 yards.

The party tunes were cranked up in the stands and the sell-out crowd knew that, once again, it was going to be their day.

Sow almost made it two shortly afterwards, but his fierce shot on the angle smashed into the side netting.

The gusty conditions made free-flowing football tricky, but Hearts stroked the ball around with the confidence and the swagger of champions.

Jamie Walker's trickery on the wing almost led to number two just before the break. He twisted and turned and his ball into the box was back-heeled by Sow but Clark clawed it away to safety.

The visitors should have been level just minutes after the re-start but Derek Lyle blasted high over from four yards after goalkeeper Neil Alexander failed to hold a long-range Mark Milar effort.

Sensing a Queens fightback, Hearts found another gear and Walker almost doubled the lead but his curling effort from the right-hand side was deflected just wide.

The second goal came midway through the first half and it was the long-range specialist Alim Ozturk who got his name on the scoresheet.

His 25-yard free-kick took a wicked deflection on its way to goal and wrong-footed Clark before trundling just inside the post.

Not a classic but it killed off any thoughts of Queens spoiling the impending celebrations.

The rest of the match played out like an exhibition - Queens knew they were beaten and Hearts just wanted to party.

Ref: Craig Thomson

Att: 16,855

 

 

 

 

Imges courtesy of Colin Johnstone and his team at Tynecastle.