Hearts 2-5 Falkirk: Bairns end Jambos impressive home Premiership record to replace them in third

Wouter Vrancken's beleaguered side, missing 11 players through injury amid a gruelling fixture list, were in disarray as the swashbuckling Bairns romped into a five-goal lead early in the second half through Finley Barbrook, Owen Eames, Liam Henderson and Jacob Murrell's double.

Hearts hit back through substitute Sabri Guendouz and a Claudio Braga penalty, but Falkirk were well worthy of making it five top-flight wins in a row for the first time since 1995.

It was a first league defeat at Tynecastle for Hearts since April 2025. To exacerbate their grim predicament, the Jambos, who have won just two of their last 11 matches, lost yet another senior player as Malachi Fagan-Walcott limped off in the second half.

There were two changes to the Hearts side that started Thursday's Conference League defeat to Thun as Stephen Kingsley and Guendouz were replaced by Yan Dhanda and Landry Kabore.

Falkirk boss John McGlynn, named manager of the month for October, made one enforced change from the side that defeated Celtic last Sunday as Jack McMillan took over from injured right-back Ryan Strain.

The Bairns are now one point above Hearts after their fifth straight Premiership victory.

"This is an embarrassment, the first half for sure. Always doubting, always doing things half-half, in possession, out of possession, everything, and such easy goals again.

"When you give those easy goals, then you cannot win a game. It's childish goals and cannot happen on this level. Those simple things, they are the basics actually in these situations.

"It's crazy, crazy, and everybody - me, staff, players - have to take responsibility in those things. This is ridiculous."

On losing defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott to injury, Vrancken added: "This also makes me a bit angry, because now we lose Mal again.

"Hopefully it's not too bad, but still we had to replace him there, because he was one of the guys who were good in the game and in the last games actually he had a really consistent, good level."

"I've never been 5-0 up here before. First half, we were outstanding. A great start to the game for us to get the goal so early.

"It was well documented about the Hearts injuries and, coming off the back of the game on Thursday night (in Thun), it was always going to be difficult for them.

"We had to smell blood and we had to go for it and that's exactly what happened. The goals and our play were outstanding in the first half. We won every duel, we won everything all over the park.

"We got ourselves 4-0 up at half-time, which is dreamland. At 3pm, we never expected to be 4-0 up at half-time and certainly not 5-0 up a few minutes into the second half, which was another really good goal in transition.

"Hearts had a lot at the ball and dominated the second period, but we're taking 5-2 every day of the week, make no mistake about it. It jumps us up into third place.

"Winning five on the trot has not been done since 1995, Jim Jefferies' team, so I'm delighted for everyone at the football club that we've managed to equal that record."

What the result means and next fixtures...