Maroon Memories: Tynecastle side hit five to pile on the misery for debt-crippled Third Lanark

The Jambos were in complete contol by half-time as they hit four goals before the interval and there was never any danger of them relinquishing their advantage in the second half as the financially-struggling Hi-Hi, who would go to the wall just three years later, put up little resistance.

The Edinburgh outfit started well and had an early 20-yard effort from Alan Gordon ruled out for offside. Gordon, however, wasn't to be denied as he went on to hit a first-half double.

The other first-half strikes came from Wallace and White.

Thirds did pull one back courtesy of Murray before Traynor sealed what was a comprehensive victory for the visitors with a goal in the last minute. While Hearts could be happy with the margin of victory, journalist John Rafferty, who was covering the game for The Scotsman, wasn't quite so enamoured to with what he witnessed.

Indeed some of his observations suggested that, despite the fact we are some 46 years on, not a lot has changed in the state of Scottish football.

While alluding to the fact Lanark were one of several Scottish clubs struggling with debt back then, he rounded off his match report with a damning indictment of the Scottish game, the type which could easily be attributed to the current state of the game in this country.

The last paragraph read: "Without wishing to be smart or rude, one must say that if there are some who still refuse to recognise that Scottish football needs reorganisation they should go to such a match as that one between Third Lanark and Hearts and there are two or three like it to be found each week."

While Rafferty most probably had a point at the time, it seems fair to say the triumphant Jambos would certainly settle for more matches like that if it meant a regular flow of 5-1 victories away from home.