Scottish Cup round-up
Samuel hat-trick leaves Hearts broken
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Your support makes all the difference.Collin Samuel tore Hearts apart yesterday but may not be around to help Falkirk enjoy the reward for their remarkable Scottish Cup third-round rout.
The Trinidadian striker, who could be joining Everton, produced a hat-trick as the 1998 winners simply wilted in the face of a 4-0 thrashing in which the First Division leaders scored all their goals in the opening 31 minutes.
Rangers launched their trophy defence with a clinical 3-0 win away to another First Division side, Arbroath, but the real tie of the round at Brockville lived up to its billing. Samuel's pace simply tore Hearts apart. The 20-year-old, heading to Goodison Park on trial with colleague Lee Miller, hiked up his value with an astonishing display.
He thumped in a 25-yard shot on the turn after just two minutes, then watched as his veteran partner, Owen Coyle, raced clear in the 13th minute before producing a composed finish. Just two minutes later, Samuel killed the tie, using his speed to get clear and beat Roddy McKenzie with a shot, and he wrapped things up just after the half-hour by eluding Kevin McKenna and deftly chipping the goalkeeper.
At Gayfield, it is the elements that are the most intimidating factor, but Rangers coped with the shock after their winter break in Dubai. Barry Ferguson curled in a 27th-minute shot to soothe any worries, and Craig Moore added a thumping header five minutes later to double the advantage. Shota Arveladze wrapped up the result in the 58th minute and the holders will now face Ayr United – who defeated Peterhead 2-0 – in the fourth round.
Samuel was not the only hat-trick hero. Grant Brebner fired Hibernian into the next round with three goals at Tannadice, as Dundee United wiped out the lead provided by the former Manchester United player in 10 and 28 minutes. Stephen O'Donnell and then a Jim Hamilton penalty restored parity before Brebner's conclusive header four minutes from the end.
James McFadden's penalty allowed Motherwell to win away to Kilmarnock in one of the all-Scottish Premier League ties, while Steve Crawford forced a replay for Dunfermline away to Livingston. Georgi Nemsadze and Gavin Rae allowed Dundee to gain revenge over Partick Thistle for last year's Cup defeat.
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