Clinical Hearts go five points clear in the Championship inspired by Steven Naismith's five-minute hat-trick

Steven Naismith scored a hat-trick inside five minutes for Hearts during the first half against Arbroath.

Rampant home goalscoring has been a feature of Hearts’ campaign and they now have 25 strikes from six league fixtures at Tynecastle Park.

Naismith bulged the net twice from open play and once from the penalty spot during the first half of his most emphatic display to date this season.

The quickest Hearts hat-trick in history belongs to the Dutchman Genero Zeefuik, however. His treble came in a three-minute spell during a 10-0 rout against Cowdenbeath in February 2016.

Without reaching those dizzy heights against part-time Arbroath, there was never any real danger of Robbie Neilson’s side dropping points.

Plummeting temperatures and frosty air meant a freezing evening in Gorgie. Hearts’ penchant for scoring at home this season warmed the cockles of fans at home and they wanted more goals against second-bottom Arbroath.

Craig Wighton returned to the starting line-up having struck twice as a substitute in Saturday’s 5-3 win against Ayr United. A stomach injury sidelined Stephen Kingsley, so Andy Halliday deputised at left-back.

The hosts’ plans were further disrupted 21 minutes into this match when striker Liam Boyce trudged off after a knee in the back. That opened the door for Jamie Walker’s introduction to a Hearts team which was probing without damaging the opposition.

With second-top Dunfermline drawing 1-1 at Inverness in an earlier kick-off, the Edinburgh club sensed the opportunity awaiting them.

Walker sprinted clear on the break on 25 minutes before being stopped by an excellent bit of covering play by the Arbroath midfielder Miko Virtanen. A flowing passing move then allowed Hearts to open the scoring after half an hour.

Peter Haring, Olly Lee and Wighton all combined before Haring fed Walker on the right. His low cross was comfortably tucked into the net from close range by Naismith.

Two minutes later, the captain headed his second. Michael Smith’s deflected 20-yard shot looped into the air and Naismith arrived at the back post to nod the ball past the helpless Arbroath goalkeeper Derek Gaston.

Dick Campbell, the visiting manager, was outraged that Naismith wasn’t flagged offside and soon found himself cautioned by referee Nick Walsh.

When Andy Irving’s shot from a corner struck Colin Hamilton’s arm, Naismith completed a first-half hat-trick from the penalty spot. The interval arrived with the game finished as a contest.

Cheap concessions have also been a theme at Tynecastle of late and another arrived early in the second half. Arbroath hoisted a free-kick forward and as Craig Gordon emerged from his goal Irving cleared. The ball dropped for Kris Doolan to fire high into the far corner of the net, reducing the deficit to 3-1.

There was little prospect of the Angus side salvaging a point, though, and Hearts spent the remainder of the evening in relative comfort.

The only concern was Christophe Berra’s enforced substitution due to a head knock. Thankfully, he walked up the tunnel unaided.

Hearts (4-4-2): Gordon; M Smith, Halkett, Berra (Frear 75), Halliday; Lee (Popescu 79), Haring, Irving, Naismith; Wighton, Boyce (Walker 21).

Unused subs: Stewart, Roberts, Brandon, Henderson.

Arbroath (4-4-2): Gaston; Thomson, Little, O’Brien, Hamilton; Gold, Virtanen, Swankie (Linn 50), Craigen (McKenna 72); Donnelly (Stewart 57), Doolan.

Unused subs: Gallacher, Whatley, Ruth.

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