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Hearts booked their place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park.
Rogers Mato, JJ Williams, and Yan Dhanda were all on the scoresheet as Wouter Vrancken’s squad made a powerful statement of intent.
The result highlighted the impressive depth available to Vrancken, with several fringe players seizing their opportunity to impress against the lower-league opposition.
New signing JJ Williams opened his Hearts account on his first start, the big American powering home to give the Jambos an early advantage they would never relinquish.
Rogers Mato has been a figure of fan frustration given his limited opportunities under predecessor Derek McInnes, but his recent form is making that exclusion increasingly difficult to explain.
The Ugandan winger had already scored in the previous round against Inverness, and he followed that up with another electric contribution at Ochilview.
Mato turned on the afterburners to race in on goal and slot past Darren Jamieson, his searing pace proving entirely too much for the Stenhousemuir defence to handle.
Vrancken was full of praise for his winger after the match, encouraging Mato to trust his instincts more regularly as he continues to settle into the squad’s system.
“He has a bit of pace, you can say that! He has qualities and is such a good guy. He wants to do everything perfect so he’s really coachable but he thinks too much sometimes, especially in the beginning of the preparation.”
Vrancken added: “You see when he is finding his game inside what we want, then he can bring his extra quality. Not only the offensive part, but also defensively.”
Stenhousemuir manager Marvin Bartley was equally impressed by Mato’s blistering speed, conceding that the winger even outstrips one of his former Hibs teammates in pure pace.
Bartley’s candid admission underlined just how exceptional Mato’s physical attributes are, drawing a notable comparison to a player he knows well from his time in Edinburgh.
Hearts will now look ahead to the semi-finals with genuine confidence, buoyed by a performance that showcased both quality and competition for places throughout the squad.
Williams and Dhanda both staked strong claims for regular involvement, ensuring Vrancken faces some welcome selection headaches in the weeks ahead.
With Mato finding form at precisely the right moment, Hearts supporters will be daring to dream about a trip to Hampden and what could follow.
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