Net seven was Par for the course - Hearts 7-1 Dunfermline 24 February 2001

HEARTS rattled in seven goals for the first time since a resounding 7-0 league defeat of Hamilton Accies in 1986 – and without exaggeration they could easily have notched double figures as the Fifers failed to cope with their scintillating display.

A hapless Dunfermline side were always on the back foot following Stephane Adam's fourth-minute opener – the Frenchman's first goal for over a year.

After just 37 minutes of the encounter it was clear that the three points would be staying in the Capital, the hosts having raced into a 4-0 lead.

Andy Kirk, restored to the Hearts attack, bundled home the second after 25 minutes. Skipper Colin Cameron finished from a tight angle to net the third, before the rejuvenated Adam volleyed home from 12 yards.

Hearts twisted the knife after the restart, Cameron slotting home No.5 from close range in the 46th minute after Ruitenbeek had failed to hold an Adam shot. The Pars netted a consolation through Jason Dair four minutes later.

But Hearts were soon back on the front foot when Kirk, who plays for the Pars these days, made it 6-1 on the hour mark to make up for a glaring miss moments before when he dragged the ball wide from inside the six-yard box. And Slovakian ace Robert Tomaschek completed the rout with 67 minutes gone when he poked the ball under Ruitenbeek.

It was an astonishing result given that Jimmy Calderwood's Dunfermline side had lost just once – away to Rangers – in their previous 11 matches.