Kumasi Asante Kotoko on Sunday virtually ruled Hearts of Oak out of reckoning for the Top 4 diadem after spanking the League Champions 3:1 at the Robert Mensah Sports Stadium at Cape Coast. Hearts, who lost their first match 1:0 against Heart of Lions, failed woefully under incessant pressure from the marauding Asante Kotoko attackers who were themselves looking for a good win to assuage the anger of their teeming yet longsuffering followers; they had endured a three back-to-back disparaging defeats. After a goalless first half, Hearts were to race into a goal lead in the 49th minute when hard pressed Kotoko defender, Nii Adjei deflected Eric Gawu’s shot into his own net. Kotoko hit back and levelled up the scores when substitute Ahmed Toure’s free kick was beautifully headed into the net by Mohammed Moye for the much needed equaliser in the 59th minute to send the supporters into a jubilant mood. The ‘Porcupine Warriors’ who grew in confidence following the equaliser continued to dictate the pace of the game and it came as no surprise when they raised their goal tally to two in the 65th minute also through a free kick taken by Toure. Prince Anokye Amponsah put the icing on Kotoko’s victory when he scored the third goal in the 75th minute to seal the doom of the Phobians and to send Kotoko supporters into wild jubilation.