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

• 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

• 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

Posted at

Match ends, Cowdenbeath 0, Heart of Midlothian 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+3'

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

Posted at 90'+2'

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

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Iain Campbell (Cowdenbeath).

Posted at 90'+2'

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

Posted at 90'

Corner, Cowdenbeath. Conceded by Brad McKay.

Posted at 89'

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Nathaniel Wedderburn.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

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

Posted at 88'

Foul by Craig Sutherland (Cowdenbeath).

Posted at 88'

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

Posted at 83'

Foul by Iain Campbell (Cowdenbeath).

Posted at 83'

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

Substitution

Posted at 82'

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

Posted at 82'

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

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Cowdenbeath. Danijel Jurisic replaces Craig Johnston.

Posted at 81'

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Kyle Miller.

Posted at 80'

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

Posted at 75'

Foul by Callum Paterson (Heart of Midlothian).

Posted at 75'

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

Posted at 73'

Foul by Sean Higgins (Cowdenbeath).

Posted at 73'

Miguel Pallardó (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Cowdenbeath. Iain Campbell replaces Chris Kane.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Craig Sutherland (Cowdenbeath) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.

Posted at 68'

Attempt missed. Brad McKay (Heart of Midlothian) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

Posted at 68'

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Thomas O'Brien.

Posted at 68'

Attempt missed. Prince Buaben (Heart of Midlothian) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 67'

Hand ball by Sam Nicholson (Heart of Midlothian).

Posted at 66'

Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Thomas O'Brien.

Posted at 63'

Attempt saved. Craig Johnston (Cowdenbeath) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Adam Eckersley (Heart of Midlothian).

Posted at 63'

Chris Kane (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 62'

Goal! Cowdenbeath 0, Heart of Midlothian 2. Callum Paterson (Heart of Midlothian) left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Miguel Pallardó.

Substitution

Posted at 60'

Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Sam Nicholson replaces James Keatings.

Posted at 57'

Attempt saved. Sean Higgins (Cowdenbeath) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 54'

Corner, Cowdenbeath. Conceded by Adam Eckersley.

Posted at 52'

Foul by Callum Paterson (Heart of Midlothian).

Posted at 52'

Jordan Halsman (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 50'

Attempt saved. Lewis Milne (Cowdenbeath) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 49'

Foul by Miguel Pallardó (Heart of Midlothian).

Posted at 49'

Chris Kane (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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