Match ends, Hearts 4, Falkirk 1.
HeartsHeart of Midlothian4FalkirkFalkirk1
Scottish Championship leaders Hearts made it four wins out of four with a comfortable victory over Falkirk.
Jordan McGhee headed the hosts ahead in 16 minutes and Billy King doubled their lead when he netted after James Keatings' penalty had been saved.
King slotted in another before the break but Hearts lost Prince Buaben to a red card in the second period.
Osman Sow won and converted a spot-kick for Hearts' fourth before Botti Bia Bi's shot pulled one back for Falkirk.
With a Tynecastle crowd of 16,369 roaring them on McGhee broke the deadlock when he nodded home a corner after MacDonald failed to reach the ball.
The visitors came close to an equaliser when Blair Alston whipped a free-kick around the defensive wall but was inches the wrong side of the post.
Hearts' second came about when Sam Nicholson was brought down inside the box by former Jambo Alan Maybury.
James Keatings took the spot kick which was saved by MacDonald but King knocked the rebound into the corner.
Hearts were rampant and Sow and Keatings came close before number three came seven minutes before half-time.
Keatings provided the cross for King to nod home from close range.
Falkirk boss Peter Houston made a couple of changes for the second half, with Liam Dick and Alex Cooper replaced by Luke Leahy and Bia-Bi.
The home side, though, were in sparkling form and Sow had a shot that was deflected just over the crossbar and Nicholson was able to find space inside the box but his shot on goal was only just wide of the target.
But with 18 minutes to go they were reduced to 10 men when Buaben was shown a red card for a lunge on Falkirk midfielder Olumide Durojaiye.
Referee Kevin Clancy was only a few yards away from the incident and received few complaints about his decision.
Despite losing a man, Hearts increased their lead when Sow scored from the spot after he himself had been brought down by Will Vaulks.
Falkirk scored a consolation with just five minutes left when substitute Bia-Bi knocked home Rory Loy's cross from close range.
Line-ups
Hearts
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Hamilton
- 30McGhee
- 4Wilson
- 3McHattie
- 5OzturkSubstituted forMcKayat 66'minutes
- 12KingSubstituted forHoltat 73'minutes
- 6Gomis
- 17BuabenBooked at 72mins
- 11NicholsonSubstituted forWalkerat 68'minutes
- 19Keatings
- 20Sow
Substitutes
- 7Walker
- 9El Hassnaoui
- 10Holt
- 16Oliver
- 22McKay
- 25Hollis
- 44Eckersley
Falkirk
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1MacDonald
- 6VaulksBooked at 78mins
- 17MayburyBooked at 24minsSubstituted forRowanat 69'minutes
- 5McCracken
- 4DurojaiyeBooked at 69mins
- 15DickSubstituted forLeahyat 49'minutesBooked at 53mins
- 8Alston
- 7TaiwoBooked at 84mins
- 20CooperSubstituted forBia Biat 49'minutes
- 33Loy
- 10SibbaldBooked at 34mins
Substitutes
- 12Bowman
- 14Grant
- 19Leahy
- 21Rowan
- 23Shepherd
- 28Bia Bi
- 35Boulding
- Referee:
- Kevin Clancy
- Attendance:
- 16,369
Match Stats
Home TeamHeartsAway TeamFalkirk
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away23
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Hearts 4, Falkirk 1.
Post update
Corner, Falkirk. Conceded by Jamie Walker.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jamie Walker (Hearts) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt missed. Osman Sow (Hearts) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Post update
Osman Sow (Hearts) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Will Vaulks (Falkirk).
Post update
Attempt missed. Rory Loy (Falkirk) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Goal!
Goal! Hearts 4, Falkirk 1. Botti Bia Bi (Falkirk) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Rory Loy.
Post update
Foul by Morgaro Gomis (Hearts).
Post update
Rory Loy (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Tom Taiwo (Falkirk) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Jamie Walker (Hearts) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Tom Taiwo (Falkirk).
Post update
Morgaro Gomis (Hearts) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Blair Alston (Falkirk).
Post update
Corner, Falkirk. Conceded by James Keatings.
Goal!
Goal! Hearts 4, Falkirk 0. Osman Sow (Hearts) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Booking
Will Vaulks (Falkirk) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Penalty Hearts. Osman Sow draws a foul in the penalty area.
