By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport

Hearts are heading for the sunshine of Spain in a fortnight praying for a tonic in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

But the odds are not in their favour after they went down in this first round game at Tynecastle.

Marcelino grabbed the winner for the Spanish side after 16 minutes with a bizarre goal.

That gave Hearts an uphill struggle and despite impressive performances from veteran defender Dave McPherson and midfielder Stefan Salvatori they were unable to get the equaliser.

Hearts went into the game on the back of two league defeats while Mallorca defeated Espanyol 2-0 at the weekend.

The gulf in class was apparent throughout the 90 minutes with Marcelino marshalling the defence and Lauren always dangerous when they broke on the counter attack.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies was forced to re-shuffle his side due to a number of injuries affecting his players.

Influential mid-fielder Stevie Fulton was ruled out with a hamstring injury and David Weir was pushed forward.

Veteran defender McPherson, who has been struggling with an Achilles tendon injury made his first appearance since the cup final in May.

You would never have guessed it as he moved up with the strikers in the second half as Hearts threatened to get the equaliser.

Mallorca, Spanish Super Cup holders after twice defeating Barcelona, almost took the lead after 12 minutes when Lauren swept the ball in from the right.

Dani was left unmarked at the back post but directed his header off target.

Mallorca, took the lead in the 17th minute when Jovan Stankovic swung in a corner and Gilles Rousset managed to get his hands to it.

But the keeper only succeeded in punching it into the path of Marcelino, who chested the ball home.

Stankovic almost added a second five minutes later when his corner came back off the post before being scrambled away.

Hearts had been limited to half chances with Jim Hamilton seeing a shot deflected wide and then Carlos Roa got down quickly to safely gather a shot from Stephane Adam.

Hearts stepped up the pace at the start of the second half and Roa did well to block another effort from Adam after Gary Locke had headed the ball on.

Argentinian player Roa, a member of their World Cup squad, then incensed the crowd with a blatant elbow on Adam.

The Tynecastle fans were becoming restless but McPherson almost capped a fine night's work by putting them level.

He just couldn't get enough power on his shot after Weir flicked on a free kick from Salvatori.

Mallorca's players began to employ time wasting tactics and infuriated the Hearts bench by diving at the slightest hint of a tackle.

Hearts' final chance of the equaliser came 12 minutes from the end when Adam went close in a goalmouth scramble that left McPherson dazed.

Hearts fought right to the death for that vital goal but the European campaign now looks all but over.

Teams

Hearts: Rousset, McPherson, Naysmith, Weir, Salvatori, Ritchie, McCann, Adam, Hamilton (Holmes 84), Locke, Pressley.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Makel, Murray, Murie, Horn, Severin.

Real Mallorca: Roa, M.

Soler, Siviero, Marcelino, Dani, Stankovic (Carreras 86), Lauren, Olaizola, Arpon (Nino 88), Engonga, Lopez (Carlos 71).

Subs Not Used: Galvez, F.

Soler, Pavnovic, Biagini.

Booked: Marcelino, Stankovic.

Goals: Marcelino 17.

Att: 13,573

Ref: A Prentalange (Italy).

Taken from sportinglife.com