Cowdenbeath 0-2 Heart of Midlothian

Hearts stretched their lead at the top of the Championship to 12 points with a comfortable victory at Central Park.

James Keatings fired the visitors ahead with a sharp, first-time finish from Adam Eckersley's pass on 25 minutes.

The same player hit the post from a free kick soon after as Cowdenbeath struggled to make an impact.

The Fife side improved after the break but Callum Paterson controlled with his head and chest before hammering in a powerful volley to wrap up the points.

This was Hearts' 15th win from 17 league games and their unbeaten record was never under any serious threat.

On a narrow, heavy pitch, Hearts chose to get the ball forward quickly, with Paterson pushed up front from his normal beat at right-back, alongside Keatings.

And the change of tactics paid off, with the home defence finding it difficult to contain Paterson.

Cowdenbeath keeper Robbie Thomson gathered a fierce shot from Jamie Walker shortly before the breakthrough goal arrived.

Miguel Pallardo released Eckersley down the left channel and the full-back raced on to square for Keatings to slam the ball home.

Keatings then thumped the base of a post with a curling free-kick from 25 yards, while Brad McKay headed straight at Thomson from a promising position.

Callum Paterson cracked in a powerful volley midway through the second half

The hosts adopted a more direct route in the second half and spurned a good chance to equalise when Colin Marshall drove forward to slip a pass to Sean Higgins but Neil Alexander got down smartly to save the forward's low shot.

Hearts doubled their lead in spectacular fashion when Paterson got his head to a diagonal cross from Pallardo before bringing the ball down on his chest and firing a shot past Thomson.

The Edinburgh side went close to extending their lead when Prince Buaben's half-volley was deflected wide and McKay lifted a shot over following a corner.

Craig Sutherland had two opportunities to net for Cowdenbeath but lacked composure when angling a strike wide and Alexander produced an impressive stop to keep out the substitute's strong, close-range header.

Hearts defender McKay then made it a hat-trick of missed chances when heading wide from a corner and Robbie Buchanan, on for the last few minutes, let fly but could not add any further cheer for the 3,000 travelling supporters.

The teams observed a minute's silence in memory of those who were killed in an accident in Glasgow yesterday

Hearts visit Livingston on Saturday before the New Year derby with Hibs at Tynecastle on 3 January

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Cowdenbeath

Formation 4-2-3-1

17Thomson

20Miller4O'Brien6Wedderburn32Halsman

12Kane26Marshall

21Johnston8Milne24Callaghan

10Higgins

• 17Thomson
• 20Miller
• 4O'Brien
• 6WedderburnBooked at 27mins
• 32Halsman
• 12KaneSubstituted forCampbellat 72'minutes
• 26Marshall
• 21JohnstonSubstituted forJurisicat 81'minutes
• 8Milne
• 24CallaghanSubstituted forSutherlandat 45'minutes
• 10Higgins

Substitutes

• 2Campbell
• 9Sutherland
• 15Jurisic
• 18Brownlie
• 22Lynas
• 25Sneddon
• 30Scullion

Hearts

Formation 4-3-3

1Alexander

30McGhee22McKay4Wilson44Eckersley

17Buaben14Pallardo Gonzalez6Gomis

2Paterson19Keatings7Walker

• 1Alexander
• 30McGhee
• 22McKay
• 4Wilson
• 44Eckersley
• 17BuabenSubstituted forHoltat 82'minutes
• 14Pallardo Gonzalez
• 6Gomis
• 2Paterson
• 19KeatingsSubstituted forNicholsonat 60'minutes
• 7WalkerSubstituted forBuchananat 88'minutes

Substitutes

• 8Robinson
• 10Holt
• 11Nicholson
• 15Gallacher
• 16Oliver
• 28Buchanan
• 35Flanagan

Referee:

Greg Aitken

Attendance:

3,718

Match Stats

Home TeamCowdenbeathAway TeamHearts

Possession

Home43%

Away57%

Shots

Home7

Away13

Shots on Target

Home4

Away5

Corners

Home2

Away10

Fouls

Home12

Away8

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Cowdenbeath 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.

2. 90'+3'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Cowdenbeath 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.

3. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Robbie Buchanan (Heart of Midlothian) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

4. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Foul by Iain Campbell (Cowdenbeath).

5. 90'+2'

   Post update

   Callum Paterson (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

6. 90'

   Post update

   Corner, Cowdenbeath. Conceded by Brad McKay.

7. 89'

   Post update

   Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Nathaniel Wedderburn.

8. 88'

   Substitution

   Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Robbie Buchanan replaces Jamie Walker.

9. 88'

   Post update

   Foul by Craig Sutherland (Cowdenbeath).

10. 88'

    Post update

    Jason Holt (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

11. 83'

    Post update

    Foul by Iain Campbell (Cowdenbeath).

12. 83'

    Post update

    Sam Nicholson (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick on the right wing.

13. 82'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Jason Holt replaces Prince Buaben.

14. 82'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Brad McKay (Heart of Midlothian) header from the centre of the box misses to the right following a corner.

15. 81'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Cowdenbeath. Danijel Jurisic replaces Craig Johnston.

16. 81'

    Post update

    Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Kyle Miller.

17. 80'

    Post update

    Attempt saved. Craig Sutherland (Cowdenbeath) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

18. 75'

    Post update

    Foul by Callum Paterson (Heart of Midlothian).

19. 75'

    Post update

    Kyle Miller (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

20. 73'

    Post update

    Foul by Sean Higgins (Cowdenbeath).

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