Robbie Neilson: It was one of those games - it'll be like that for Hearts this season

Robbie Neilson admitted his Hearts team found it tough against Cowdenbeath.

The Jambos struggled badly to break down a stuffy yet plucky Cowdenbeath outfit at Bayview until Craig Halkett powered home from close range following an Elliott Frear corner on 78 minutes.

Gloss could have been added to the scoreline in stoppage time when Jordan Roberts won a penalty, but Jamie Walker’s effort was well saved by Blue Brazil goalkeeper Ross Sinclair on a day when very little went right for the visitors in front of goal.

However, Hearts are now in pole position to qualify for the last 16 of the competition, with Raith Rovers up next at Tynecastle on Tuesday, but Neilson knows that his team – who are heavy favourites to win the Championship this season – must realise that opponents will play a certain way against them.

Neilson said: “It wasn't a great game. We started well, switched it and got into good areas but couldn't get the goal.

"The longer the game went on, the slower it got and they sat it and made it difficult. We weren't as good as we should've been, but we managed to get that goal at the end.

"We weren't under any pressure at all but it was one of those game. You get those in the Betfred.

"It’s going to be like that this season. There'll be a lot of teams that'll sit with two banks of four and make it difficult for you and leave your centre halves on the ball.

"It's up to us to move the ball more quickly and get used to the surface. We'll be playing on that when we’re at Alloa, Raith Rovers and Queen of the South.

"For us, it was a good indication of what it's going to be like going forward in certain games.

"On another day we'd maybe have scored two or three but it wasn't to be. We got into good areas and Cowdenbeath defended very well.”