Striker dazzles as Edinburgh progress

The match appeared to be heading for extra-time until former Bonnyrigg Rose goalscorer Andy Howat livened up proceedings with two assists and an exquisite goal to help send his club through to the next round.

"It's always difficult when you play against the same side two weeks in a row," said Howat. "Last week we did well for 75 minutes then turned off and lost three goals. Against Tynecastle this time around, both individually and as a unit, we put in a much bigger performance. We knew that the big surface at Meadowbank Stadium would allow us to stretch them and that is exactly what happened."

City started the more offensively and after an Ian McFarland overhead kick drifted narrowly wide, a rising shot in the ninth minute from Howat was bound for the top corner until John Gilbertson managed to palm the ball around the post.

City did take the lead from the resultant corner when Darren Moonie swung in a dangerous cross and left-back Ruaraidh Scott timed his run perfectly to glance a downward header behind Gilbertson from 12 yards.

Tynecastle's Wayne McIntosh caused problems for the City defence with a well-struck free kick followed by a snap shot after a Robbie Arthur corner. City thought that they had increased their advantage when Euan Black netted but from an offside position. Black then had an angular shot palmed over by Gilbertson who was also called into action to punch clear a Moonie corner.

Tynecastle equalised in the 33rd minute when City's Jamie Bain fouled Paul Devlin some 30 yards from goal. Darren Aird delivered the free-kick into the box where McIntosh, at his second attempt, rocketed the ball behind Andrew Stobie, the young City goalkeeper currently on loan from East Fife.

Both sides went close in the second half before City's late, late show. In the 83rd minute a Howat header from a Joe Dingwall cross picked out Ross Guthrie on the edge of the box and his first-time volley gave Gilbertson no chance.

Just 60 seconds later, a through ball from Dingwall found Howat and he outpaced his marker before calmly lobbing the ball over the exposed Gilbertson from 20 yards. Within another minute, City put the game well and truly beyond Tynecastle's reach when Howat again lobbed Gilbertson and substitutes Jorge Vinelli, the former Spartans striker, nipped in to smash the ball into the net from close range.

The goals may have finished but the action did not with Vinelli hitting the crossbar with a 40-yard shot while at the other end, in the dying seconds, Tynecastle were awarded a penalty. Arthur collapsed after a coming together with Scott but Aird's spot kick was well saved by Stobie low to his right.

"We kept going right to the end and took our chances," added Howat. "That was our first win of the season so that will do a lot for our confidence ahead of Saturday's Scottish Cup tie against Inverness Clachnacuddin."

Gary Jardine, City's joint manager although he was in charge as John Green was doing his homework by watching Clachnacuddin draw 3-3 with Inverurie Loco Works in the Highland League, said: "The game got to the same stage as the previous week then we scored and you could see the lift it gave the players. It was a huge relief and a weight off their shoulders and, although we won by three goals, there was probably not that margin in the game."

David Bingham, the Tynecastle head coach, said: "We gave the ball away in bad areas and got punished by making it easy for City. Some of our players have got some soul searching to do and look at their contribution to Tynecastle this season."

Edinburgh: Stobie, Dingwall, Scott, Macnamara, Bain, McFarland, Howat, Gair, Black (Vinelli 74), Guthrie (Wilson 88), Moonie (Cairnie 74). Sub: Mackintosh.

Tynecastle: Gilbertson, Aird, O'Hara, Ferguson (Sives 50), Williams, Elliot (Knight 73), Arthur, Mearns, Devlin, McIntosh, McCormack. Subs: Dobson, McMullen.

Edinburgh City 4

Tynecastle 1