Hearts B come up short against Buckie Thistle in SPFL Trust Trophy

Hearts B crashed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy after a 3-2 defeat to Highland League outfit Buckie Thistle.

In an entertaining clash at Ferguson Park, Connor Smith gave the hosts a slender lead in the 34th minute through a close-range finish.

But Buckie, who have started their 2022/2023 season well with three straight wins in the league, restored parity four minutes into the second half when Jack Murray headed in from a corner.

The Wee Jambos then found themselves in the lead for a second time with little more than 20 minutes left to play. After good build-up down the right, Scott McGill was in the right place at the right time to lash home in off the crossbar, the officials adjudging the ball to have crossed the line.

Connor Smith had opened the scoring for Hearts B

However, Buckie drew level just three minutes later and what a good finish it was from Cohen Ramsay. And the visitors sealed their passage through to the second round when Sam Pugh's free-kick sneaked its way under Hearts goalkeeper Harry Stone for the winner.

Meanwhile, Spartans also exited the competition at the first hurdle after they went down 1-0 to Lowland League rivals Rangers B at Ainslie Park.

There was little to separate the sides but the full-time outfit struck with only 15 minutes left on the clock when promising youngster Alex Lowry, who has featured for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's first team, sent his free-kick around the Spartans wall and into the bottom corner.

Hearts B are at Bo'ness United on Saturday while Spartans face neighbours Edinburgh University.