In the end it was Hearts that possessed the Midas touch, but for an anxious period during this League Cup encounter against Arbroath it was a player by the name of David Gold that threatened to embarrass the Premiership newcomers.

Gold, a self-confessed Hearts fan and close friend of Tynecastle winger Sam Nicholson, handed the part-timers a deserved lead in the 40th minute as the hosts paid the price for a largely passive first half.

Hearts eventually exhibited the quality that saw Robbie Neilson's side finish 21 points clear of nearest rivals Hibs in last season's Championship by scoring three goals during a dominant four-minute period after the break.

Jordan McGhee brought the Gorgie side level in the 57th minute before Osman Sow notched a brace – his second coming from the penalty spot.

Further goals were traded at the end. Arbroath substitute Martin Grehan pulled one back for the visitors with five minutes left before Hearts' two-goal advantage was resorted in injury-time courtesy of a Craig Wilson own goal.

Head coach Neilson, who stayed true to his word by naming a strong line-up, was content with the result but admitted the performance barely merited pass marks. "We were disappointed, the first half was not acceptable," lamented Neilson, whose side face St Johnstone on Sunday in their opening Premiership game of the campaign.

"I think the players thought they were going to cruise to a result but it was a bit of a wake up call for all of us." Neilson, who expects Nigerian left-back Juwon Oshaniwa to finally arrive in Edinburgh today to complete his move following a mountain of red tape, added: "We need to do far better than we did. I thought we passed the ball for the first ten minutes then went flat.

"I think they viewed it as a pre-season game but when St Johnstone come it will be a completely different ball game."

The apparent strength of the Hearts team on paper was not patently obvious when the action got underway, with the visitors more than holding their own during a languid opening to this first-round tie. In fact, it was the part-timers – encouraged by a vociferous band of followers – that registered a host of chances. Stand-in Hearts goalkeeper Jack Hamilton had to get down to an awkward Sergio Cecilia Alvarez effort before seeing Jamie Clark hook a shot wide from a Bobby Linn corner.

Hearts fans had to wait until the 17th minute to see their team conjure up their first meaningful chance.

Billy King stabbed an effort towards the near post that was repelled by keeper Allan Fleming. Hearts' collective frustrations were prolonged in the 29th minute when Nicholson was guilty of wasting a guilt-edged opportunity, the playmaker missing the target with only Fleming to beat. But just when it seemed that Hearts were starting to exert their authority on the match, Todd Lumsden's side stunned the home crowd in the 40th minute. Cecilia Alvarez's flick on the edge of the box found Gold and the former Hibs midfielder poked the ball past Hamilton from ten yards. With their ego bruised, Hearts responded like you would expect. Callum Paterson crashed a header off the bar from a King corner in the 44th minute, with Ricky Little throwing himself in the way of Alim Ozturk's effort on the follow-up. Arbroath goalkeeper Fleming then got down brilliantly to Sow's low left-footed shot inside the area seconds before the break. The second half began with over 6,000 Hearts fans in attendance thinking that things could only get better. Instead, they watched Arbroath waste a great chance to double their lead. Ozturk and McGhee got in each other's way in their attempt to cut out Linn's free-kick into the box, leaving Lewis Coult with an unrestricted view of goal. But the dyed-in-the-wool Hearts supporter pulled a left-footed shot wide from 16 yards. The League Two minnows were left to rue that chance as Hearts took control with three goals in four minutes. The first arrived in the 57th minute when McGhee slid in to divert Ozturk's front post pass into the net. Sow then added a second in the 59th minute with a close range finish but the groundwork was done by Nicholson, the fleet-footed winger showing great close ball control to set up his team-mate. And after Nicholson was hauled down in the box, Swedish forward Sow dispatched a penalty past Fleming. To Arbroath's credit, they didn't completely collapse in the face of a Hearts onslaught. Linn thundered a free-kick off the post and goal-scorer Gold was left disappointed that he could only hook the rebound over the bar with Hamilton grounded. They did pull one back in the 85th minute when Grehan headed in Jordan London's teasing delivery at the back post. Hearts, however, restored their two-goal advantage in injury-time when Arbroath defender Wilson poked the ball past his own keeper in his desperate attempt to prevent Nicholson's pass reaching Jamie Walker.