Hearts 1
Middlesbrough 1

HEARTS boss George Burley has made no secret of the fact that he would have preferred more time to build a team ahead of the SPL kick-off.

Appointed just three weeks ago, the new Gorgie chief knew he would have his work cut out to reconstruct the side to his specifications before what promises to be a testing trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday, July 30.

With chief scout Simon Hunt also working overtime to utilise his world-wide contacts, the pair have been scouring the globe for talent, Burley identifying the need for at least six new players to bring the first-team squad up to a reasonable depth.

He made his first signing earlier this week with the capture of Czech international Rudi Skacel but circumstances have dictated that the former Derby County boss has had to rely on "fast tracking" trialists into the Capital in an attempt to supplement the players already at his disposal.

Since returning from the pre-season tour to Dublin, he has made the most of the series of pre-season friendlies to run the rule over numerous targets.

With time running out, though, before the season starts, the Hearts boss admitted he took a "gamble" in fielding so many trialists in last night's clash with Middlesbrough.

As the fans settled into their seats at Tynecastle and cast their eyes over the players in maroon at kick-off, they'd have been entitled to look somewhat bemused at the sight facing them.

Lining up at right-back was Sebastien Schemmel, the Frenchman who had been interesting Celtic recently. His fellow-countryman Julien Brellier slotted into the midfield while the attack comprised of Czech strikers Michal Pospisil and Roman Bednar.

Among the substitutes were former Porto star Edgaras Jankuaskas and Arturios Rimkevicius.

It must have been well nigh impossible for the supporters to keep tabs on who was who but if Burley gets his way in the next few days, a number could become familiar faces at Tynecastle.

Bednar, who plays for Mlada Boleslav, figured for the first half but led the line well and did more than enough to suggest he would be a useful acquisition.

His strike partner lasted just ten minutes before succumbing to a hamstring injury, Pospisil having told Burley he was desperate for a chance to show what he can do.

His enthusiasm may not prove too costly, however, with agent Pavel Zika revealing Hearts have already set the wheels in motion to land both forwards.

Former West Ham star Schemmel also did his chances of a move no harm, while Brellier could be pleased with his 39 minutes. Lithuanian Jankauskas was given a run out for the last 24 minutes and SPL defences may well have to cope with his powerful presence in the months ahead with Burley close to clinching a deal for the towering striker.

With a total of ten substitutes used by the home side, the flow of the game was constantly interrupted. It was hardly an ideal situation but needs must for Burley and he was pleasantly surprised by the performance of his team, a number of whom only arrived in Scotland yesterday, as the Jambos drew 1-1 with the Premiership opponents.

"Four of the players involved last night only arrived here for the first time on the day of the match," he said. "It was a big gamble playing a few of them but unfortunately we don't have much time. "We have to try to push things through. The squad desperately needs strengthened so we have to take a few gambles.

"Ideally I'd have wanted more time but circumstances have dictated that is not the case so we have got to keep trying to push on as quickly as we can."

While praising the application of his trialists, Burley acknowledged that some of the more familiar faces had raised their performances against a strong Boro outfit, which included stars of the calibre of Frank Queudrue Ray Parlour, Ugo Ehiogu, Geizka Mendietta, Yakubu and Mark Viduka.

Craig Gordon produced a couple of superb saves while Steven Pressley - again listed as a trialist amid his contract dispute - and Andy Webster looked solid at the back.

Further up the park, the hosts produced some delightful one-touch football which had the 15,000-plus crowd roaring its approval and Burley said: "I couldn't have expected such a good performance considering the team was basically pulled together at the last minute.

"The display was top notch. It wasn't just the trialists, though, it was the rest of the team as well.

"They lifted the standards more than I have seen so far."

So often pre-season friendlies can be instantly forgettable affairs but last night's provided plenty of entertainment for the fans, who had been allowed entry for free.

The visitors should have taken the lead after 14 minutes when African Yakubu was left unmarked in the box as Mendieta's cross came in from the right, the striker failing to direct his header on target from close range. Three minutes later and Ehiogu was denied by a brilliant Gordon stop after Webster had been deceived by the bounce of the ball. Bednar had shown some nice touches up front and the tall striker was only inches away from breaking the deadlock when he headed Paul Hartley's free-kick narrowly wide.

Brellier then showed his shooting power from 25 yards, Brad Jones doing well to tip the shot over the bar. Queudrue then tested Gordon with a similar strike, the Scotland star equal to it with a save at full stretch.

Either side of the interval Hearts produced some excellent flowing football to bring the crowd alive but it was Gordon to the rescue again in the 64th minute when he tipped over George Boateng's shot after the offside flag had stayed down.

With 12 minutes remaining the visitors took the lead, Yakubu converting from the spot after Paul Hartley had fouled Mendieta inside the area.

The advantage last just four minutes, however, with Webster, who has been at odds with the club over speculation surrounding a move to Rangers, popping up at the back post to head home Joe Hamill's corner.

"I have said we want to raise the standard and have better quality and I think last night's performance showed we are going in the right direction," said Burley.

"I like my teams to play with a fast tempo. I try to do that in training and I want the match situations to be like that and I thing that showed last night as well. As I have said I was more than pleased with the display and I have to say that the performance compared to a week ago was like chalk and cheese. There were so many excellent performances. I couldn't have asked for any more so I am really pleased."

Hearts: Gordon, Schemmel (Sives, 83), Pressley (Berra, 70), Webster, McAllister (Hamill, 58), Mikoliunas (Cesnauskis, 66), Brellier (Wallace, 39), Hartley (Thorarinsson, 87), Skacel (Tierney, 76), Bednar (Rimkevicius, 45), Pospisil (Elliot, 10) (Jankuaskas, 66). Sub not used McDonald.

Middlesbrough: Jones, Parnaby, Queudrue, Parlour, Ehiogu, Southgate, Mendietta, Yakubu, Viduka (Kennedy, 62), Boateng, Johnson (Liddle, 74). Subs not used: Knight, Clough, Burgess.

Taken from the Scotsman