Testing time for Hearts fans

IT is worth examining the circumstances surrounding what was a resounding defeat for Hearts at East End Park last night.

The Edinburgh club are without several key players through injury and remain some distance behind Dunfermline, their First Division opponents, in terms of pre-season outings. Therefore, the final result perhaps should not have been wholly unexpected.

Dunfermline fashioned a thoroughly deserved victory in a keenly-contested pre-season friendly by dint of Nicky Phinn's goal and Joe Cardle's double, all in the second half. Hearts were uninspiring for most of the evening but did produce a fine consolation when Calum Elliot glanced David Templeton's cross into the net six minutes from full time. It was the kind of incisive attack their play generally lacked, however manager Jim Jefferies is wisely unperturbed with two and a half weeks until the SPL kicks off.

Kevin Kyle, Andy Driver, Lee Wallace, Marian Kello and Ruben Palazuelos did not feature last night. All are expected to be central figures for Hearts in the forthcoming campaign. Eggert Jonsson was employed in an unorthodox left-back role, while the visitors finished with the inexperienced Ryan McGowan at right-back. Cardle took full advantage on Dunfermline's left and reinforced the fact that his team were in the midst of their seventh pre-season fixture. By contrast, this was Hearts' first proper friendly of the summer.

All of the above means there should be no cause for undue concern just yet. That said, there is little question that some in the Riccarton dressing room must up the ante in order to be involved against St Johnstone on Saturday 14 August.

"That team will bear no resemblance to what will be in the weeks ahead, I can assure you," said Jefferies. "From the point of view of finding out a lot of things, it was a great exercise. I said to the players before the game that I don't get too high if they win a pre-season game and I don't get too low if they lose one. Last night was all about finding out.

"Jim (McIntyre, Dunfermline manager] told me that was their seventh game and they looked sharp. It was our first real game and when you've got six or seven under your belt you are going to be that bit sharper. That showed. They were a bit slicker than us in the second half and moved it quicker. We had our possession and one or two opportunities which we could have done better with. Overall it was a great learning exercise, and a great exercise for the players to know that quite a few of them have got a bit to find."

The most dominant figure of the first half was David Templeton, the Hearts winger. Although out of position on the left flank, he twice cut inside with sublime ball control to dispatch dangerous efforts which rose only narrowly over the crossbar. Dunfermline's Steven McDougall squandered the clearest opening of the first period on 17 minutes. After a driving run from full-back Calum Woods, a ricochet off Craig Thomson saw the ball land at McDougall's feet but his low strike curved only centimetres wide of the far post.

Dunfermline's ball retention skills were impressive but when they lost possession they toiled to prise the ball from Hearts, whose array of passing properly betrayed their SPL status during the first 45 minutes. Suso replaced David Obua near the end of the first half with the Ugandan having sustained a groin injury.

The second period was less than a minute old when Phinn produced the first goal. Paul Willis' right-sided cross was not sufficiently cleared and the midfielder collected possession on the edge of the visitors' penalty area. After skipping past a challenge, his shot careered into Jamie MacDonald's net via the goalkeeper's right post.

On 58 minutes, Dunfermline's advantage doubled. Hearts ceded possession in central midfield and, from McDougall's driven cross, Cardle stroked the ball home from close range. If Hearts had enjoyed control for periods of the first half, then the tables had certainly turned as the hosts offered the kind of clincal attacking expertise their guests lacked.

As if to emphasise the point, Cardle then struck again. He waltzed rather effortlessly beyond substitute Ryan McGowan - deployed at right-back after replacing Craig Thomson at half-time - to deliver a right-footed shot which eluded MacDonald at his near post. For all that Templeton shone in the first period, Cardle was the star attraction throughout the second. He was aided by the impressive Neil McGregor at centre-back.

Hearts' retort was a powerful 20-yard drive from Suso which goalkeeper Kyle Allison parried. McGregor pursued the rebound with Templeton and the resultant challenge saw the visitors appeal for a penalty which was refused by referee John McKendrick. Eventually, with six minutes remaining, Hearts offered a glimpse of their attacking potential. Templeton looped an exquisite cross in from the right flank and Elliot's first-time header was far outwith the reach of Allison.

"I'm really pleased because I thought we passed the ball very well," enthused McIntyre. "Obviously it's Hearts' first game and they are still feeling their way into their pre-season preparations, but I can only really speak for our boys. I thought we played with a real tempo, passed it well and closed Hearts down well. I was pleased with the young lads: Willis was excellent, Thomson did really well and it was good to see Nicky Phinn put away a chance because he's had a few in pre-season. I thought we moved it sharper and we got more space because Hearts came here to have a go, and rightly so."

Jefferies now has a decision to make regarding trialists Adrian Mrowiec and Kari Arkivuo. Mrowiec was replaced by Ian Black during the interval after a tidy if unremarkable first half. Arkivuo looked the more inventive but tended to veer into a wide-right berth, which could count against him when it comes contract time given Hearts have four capable wingers already on the payroll. "I thought we started the game quite well. David Templeton was on fire and was unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions," continued Jefferies. "I know supporters are always looking for the result but the purpose of last night was for me to see the two trialists. I knew I wanted to see one or two others as well. I've got a decision to make in the next 48 hours for both of the trialists.

"I said I wanted two or three players but apart from them I looked at Darren Barr. He played right-back for Falkirk a lot so, with our problems at centre-half and Bouzid suspended (for the start of the season], I said I'd have a look at him there. Eggert's only filling in at left-back, he isn't a left-back. We've got Ruben Palazuelos and Lee Wallace out but they should be okay for the weekend. Ryan McGowan came on at right-back, a player I've never seen play for Hearts. I'd only ever seen him play for Ayr United (on loan]. There's a big difference and I'll take stock of what he did last night."

The goalscoring conundrum evident over the last two seasons continues to linger over Hearts. Kyle undergoes minor surgery today and will consequently miss the SPL opener, "David Obua came off early because he tweaked a groin," he said. "We don't have a lot of choice up there and we're trying to solve that problem. I thought Calum Elliot did all right and scored a great goal. If we can get a midfield player getting beyond the strikers, and then get another striker in, we'd be happy. But they aren't easy to get.

"I'm concentrating on the players who are here because I have to assess them all. I'm always hoping to add someone. Whether it's tomorrow or the end of the week, as long as it's before the transfer deadline.

"I'd like to see another striker because Gary Glen's injured at the moment and I'd like more competition for places up there. We will try to get the right man and get a midfielder in."

Dunfermline (4-4-2): Allison; Woods (Dowie 46), McGregor, Higgins, McCann (Keddie 46); Willis, Thomson, Phinn (Mason 72), Cardle; McDougall (White 72), Clarke (Kirk 72). Subs: Mason, Dowie, Keddie, Kirk, Smith, White.

Hearts (4-4-2): MacDonald; C Thomson (McGowan 46), Barr, Zaliukas, Jonsson; Arkivuo (Novikovas 59), Mrowiec (Black 46), Stevenson (Bouzid 72), Templeton; Elliot, Obua (Suso 41). Subs: Kello, Kucharski, Suso, Black, McGowan, Bouzid.

Referee: John McKendrick.

Attendance: 2195.