Maroon memories: Jam Tarts victorious, but frustrated by towering Norwegian goalkeeper Sorlie

Hearts 1-0 Valerengens 18 Oct 1965

A STUNNING display by the Norwegian keeper gave his side hope of overturning the slim one-goal advantage which was all that Hearts could muster in the first leg of this Fairs Cup tie at Tynecastle.

Helge Sorlie kept the Jam Tarts at bay and it was reported that, without his performance in what seemed a man-against-man battle with Don Kerrigan, Valerengens could have been six down and out of the tie before the home leg even kicked off.

Former Aberdeen striker Kerrigan was making his competitive debut and could have marked it with a hat-trick but for the efforts of the 26-year-old goalie, who, apparently, had performed similar heroics in the previous year's competition against Everton. Yet, ironically, Sorlie was at fault for the only goal, fumbling a corner by Donald Ford late in the first half to give Willie Wallace the chance to touch the ball into the net.

Valerengens had come to Scotland with the sole purpose of keeping the score down and achieved their aim, which meant that Sorlie's opposite number, Jim Cruickshank, had only two real saves to make.

The Norwegians made an impression with their physiques and strengths as well as their defensive play and they were described as making "even Alan Anderson look small by comparison".

In the event, Kerrigan got his reward in the second leg, scoring two goals to add to another by Wallace to give Hearts a 3-1 win in front of 14,500 fans in the famous Bislet Stadium.

They then endured the heartache of going out to Spaniards Zaragoza in a third, play-off game after two drawn legs in the days before away goals counted double.

Hearts: Cruickshank, Ferguson, Holt, Polland, Anderson, Cumming, Ford, Traynor, Wallace, Kerrigan, Hamilton.