How the 1956 Scottish Cup was won by Hearts

“Hearts players leapt for joy and hugged their trainer in front of the stand, while the huge crowd roared and waved anything maroon they could lay their hands on,” reported the Evening News in the wake of the Tynecastle side’s 1956 Cup win.
The Hearts and Celtic captains shaking hands in 1956.The Hearts and Celtic captains shaking hands in 1956.
The Hearts and Celtic captains shaking hands in 1956.

The victory was Hearts’ first Scottish Cup triumph since 1906 and a “thoroughly well-deserved victory” for the Edinburgh side according to our match report from the game.

Hearts enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and were fired into a 20th-minute lead when the ball broke to Ian Crawford on the edge of the area and he shot low into the far corner.

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The Tynecastle side hit their second three minutes after the restart as Alex Young flicked a Willie Bauld cross into the path of Crawford, who blasted home to double their advantage. The report from Hampden continued: “If the match was won up front however, it was certainly saved by the defenders, who rose to the occasion in a big way”.

“At several stages of the game Celtic gained the edge, but their forwards were simply not allowed to finish, and Duff had hardly one shot worthy of the name to deal with”.

Celtic did find a route back into the contest when Mike Haughney reduced the deficit, but as the match report noted: “Hearts front rank, which scored more than any of their rivals this season were always dangerous in possesion”. Alfie Conn clinched the Cup for Hearts with ten minutes remianing when he finsihed from a John Cumming free kick.