Falkirk striker Collin Samuel claimed his second hat-trick in two games to
dump Premier League side Hearts out of the Scottish Cup.
The Bairns hitman had netted three goals against Arbroath last week and he
sent Hearts reeling when he opened the scoring after just two minutes before
grabbing another two goals before the break.
Veteran striker Owen Coyle also weighed in with a first half goal to ensure a
memorable third round tie for the supporters who had packed into tiny
Brockville.
The only man with a wider smile than Falkirk boss Ian McCall following the win
against Hearts would have been Everton manager David Moyes.
While the rest of the country were just beginning to sit up and take notice of
the talents of the Trinidadian striker, Moyes was preparing to welcome Samuel to
Goodison Park.
His friendship with McCall meant that Everton where given the nod ahead of
several other clubs to allow the striker and his Bairns team-mate Lee Miller to
train with the Premiership side.
Although his hat-trick against Hearts will no doubt have added a few more
pounds on to any transfer fee, Samuel has proved beyond doubt that he has what
it takes to play at a higher level than the Scottish First Division.
Perhaps Hearts were still in holiday mode following their winter break in
Portugal last week, but it was Falkirk who looked the hungrier side and they
were ahead after just two minutes.
Reserve goalkeeper Craig Gordon took the injured Roddy McKenzie's place in
goal, with eleventh hour signing Tepi Moilanen forced to settle for a place on
the bench.
But Gordon's first touch of the game was to pick the ball out of the back of
his own net.
Lee Miller's cross was met by Owen Coyle and he touched the ball onto fellow
striker Samuel. The Trinidadian tried his luck with a shot from just inside the
18-yard box and bulleted the effort past the Hearts goalkeeper.
Hearts tried to force their way back into the game but it was Falkirk who were
destined to find the back of the net again a minute later when John Henry
released Coyle and he surged into the box before coolly slotting past Gordon.
Samuel has already proven on a number of occasions how dangerous he can be for
the Bairns and it was the diminutive hitman who added his name to the scoresheet
once again.
Henry was the provider again, playing the ball through to Samuel - his pace
proved too much for Stephane Mahe and with only Gordon to beat he rammed the
ball home from eight yards.
Samuel had claimed his first hat-trick for Falkirk against Arbroath last week
and he inflicted the same punishment on Hearts.
This time he went on a great solo run that took him all the way to the
six-yard line before flicking the ball playfully past the Heas goalkeeper after
30 minutes.
Two minutes later he tried to turn provider when he took the ball past Steven
Pressley before squaring into the path of Lee Miller but his volley cannoned off
the crossbar.
No doubt Levein would have had a few choice words to say to his players during
the interval and they looked more composed after the re-start.
Jean-Louis Valois even tried his luck with a long, low effort but he never
really troubled Falkirk goalkeeper Allan Ferguson, who easily held the shot.
Coyle was now trying to take over the role as Falkirk's biggest goal threat
but he squandered another chance on the hour mark when he exchanged a one-two
with Henry before sending the shot past the upright from close range.
Hearts had a chance to pull a goal back after 72 minutes when Wales supplied a
decent cross for Mark de Vries but the towering Dutchman bulleted the header
just wide of the post.
The Jambos' frustration was becoming evident when Alan Maybury became the
third player to be booked with 15 minutes remaining, Andy Webster and Kevin
McKenna having already been cautioned be referee Willie Young earlier in the
game.
Man of the match Samuel had bore the brunt of a few nasty challenges and he
was replaced by Ian McSween with eight minutes to go but Maybury was lucky to
escape a red card just seconds later for another bad tackle on Craig McPherson.
Teams:
Falkirk: Ferguson, Hughes, MacKenzie, Nicholls, McPherson,
Henry, Kerr, Coyle, Rennie, Miller, Samuel (McSween 84).
Subs Not Used: Rodgers, Creaney, Cringean, Hill.
Goals: Samuel 3, Coyle 13, Samuel 17, 31.
Hearts: Gordon, Maybury, Pressley, McKenna, Mahe,
Boyack (Webster 19), Stamp, MacFarlane (Severin 66), Valois,
de Vries, Weir (Wales 65).
Subs Not Used: Simmons, Moilanen.
Booked: Webster, McKenna, Maybury.
Att: 7,500
Ref: W Young (Scotland).
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