THE retention of the Ryder Cup by Europe was not the only thumping home success to unfold on Scottish soil yesterday.
As champagne corks popped in Gleneagles in celebration of the victory recorded by Paul McGinley's side, some 40 miles south Hearts were taking care of Livingston in similarly emphatic style.
It was effectively over as a contest by half-time with the home side already three goals to the good but they continued to pour forward after the break, their persistence rewarded with two further strikes late in the game. But for some errant finishing and terrific goalkeeping from Livingston's Darren Jamieson the margin of victory could have been even greater.
Just as the final Ryder Cup table was splattered with European blue, so the SPFL Championship leaderboard makes good reading just now for Hearts. The victory extends their unbeaten start to the league season and also doubles their advantage over Rangers to six points, with the Ibrox side making up their game in hand this evening at home to Hibernian.
This was a performance from Robbie Neilson's side that was both entertaining and effective. One first half move in particular, in which the ball was swept forward via a succession of one-touch passes, would have been a contender for goal of the month had Jamie Walker's shot at its conclusion not been deflected for a corner. Tynecastle purred its approval. The double-lock protection offered by Morgaro Gomis and Prince Buaben - who diligently patrolled the channel in front of the defence - gave Hearts' forward players freedom to indulge their creative side. With Walker on one wing and Sam Nicholson the other, there was no shortage of service to Osman Sow and Soufian El Hassnaoui who capitalised with three goals between them.
This was El Hassnaoui's first start for Hearts since a summer move from Sparta Rotterdam and the Dutch-Moroccan did not disappoint. It was his goal after 14 minutes which got Hearts on their way, a sharp twist and shot at the corner of the box finding its way into the far corner. He could have had a second later in the half, but he could not poke in the rebound after Alim Ozturk's thumping free kick. El Hassnaoui departed after 75 minutes to a standing ovation.
Sow would not be overshadowed, however. He scored twice and also showed off the sort of dazzling footwork usually seen on Strictly Come Dancing, at one point executing a turn from the tightest of spots that could only have been achieved with the help of smoke and mirrors. His first goal, Hearts' third, was a gift, Keaghan Jacobs getting himself in a fankle before donating the ball straight to the Swede who placed it into the net.
His second concluded the scoring in the final minute. Callum Paterson swung in a cross from the right and Sow got in front of the bedraggled Livingston defence to score.
That Hearts have constructed a squad rather than just a team was evident by the strength of their options on the bench. James Keatings was one of those who got a run-out late in the game and he took advantage by converting a pass from Dale Carrick, another substitute, to score Hearts' fourth.
There was also a goal to embroider an entertaining performance from Walker, his strike in the first half somehow squeezing in at the near post to double Hearts' lead after half an hour. By the end they had five but that wasn't enough to satisfy Neilson. "If we're going to win the league we have to make sure that, if we get the opportunity to rack some goals up, that we do it," he said.
This was not a happy homecoming for John McGlynn, the former Hearts manager. His Livingston side, decimated by injury, saw little of the ball in an attacking sense, with assistant manager Mark Burchill missing their best chance. "We never got going," he sighed. "Hearts dominated and if it wasn't for our goalkeeper we could have lost a few more."
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