Hawick Royal Albert 3

Tynecastle 6

AN enforced five weeks lay-off cost Hawick at their makeshift Galashiels home on Saturday.

With the clean-up operation ongoing at Albert Park following last weekend’s floods, Dean Shanks brought his improving team along the A7 to Netherdale for the match with Tynecastle.

And despite a spirited performance for an hour, his team ran out of steam in the closing stages.

Shanks told us: “Having five weeks without a game certainly doesn’t help.

“Both teams were starting to tire and that’s when they got the fourth goal – they got a lift from that and we couldn’t respond.”

Both teams served up a thrilling first half.

A Robert Boyd own-goal was quickly cancelled out by former Vale of Leithen striker Josh Morris, who is on loan at the Albert from Kelty.

As play swept up and down the park Tynecastle restored their lead on 18 minutes with Stewart O’Neill scoring his first of three with a deft touch on the turn to take the ball away from the diving Kyle Rankin.

Again Hawick responded immediately. This time Morris’ shot was blocked by the legs of Ross McMullen, but Alieu Faye was on hand to blast the rebound into the net.

As half time approached debutant Daryl Johnson watched his curling freekick deflect inches wide of the target.

But from the resultant corner the former Selkirk captain headed high into the net to give the Albert the lead for the first time.

Within a minute, though, Tynecastle drew level. Willie Mitchell danced through a couple of challenges to dink the ball into the net from the angle.

The pace did drop in the second half with the chances drying up as well.

Morris did force a save from McMullen on 53 minutes and Stewart Andrew missed a sitter at the other end on the hour.

With 18 minutes remaining O’Neill scored the crucial fourth – running through a big gap in the home defence to squeeze a shot through the hands of Rankin.

All Hawick could muster in response was a Morris effort from close range which flew a foot over the bar.

O’Neill grabbed the fifth on 85 minutes as he cut in from the left to side foot into the far corner of the net.

And with the last kick of the game Adam was given enough space to stab home Tynecastle’s sixth.

Shanks added: “We have a good team spirit at Hawick and we are bringing in quality players.

“We just need a run of games and get back to the sharpness and fitness we need to win games like this.”

Hawick Royal Albert. K Rankin, C Robertson, S Crozier, R Boyd, M McEwan, F Lockhart (M Lynch 72), R Stevenson, D Johnson, J Morris, A Faye & G Pettigrew (S Spence 81).