Cesnauskis too good for Spartak

A DEIVIDAS Cesnauskis first-half double set Hearts on their way to a comfortable 3-1 friendly win over Slovakian outfit Spartak Trnava in the Windischgarsten Stadium in Austria on Saturday night.

Lithuanian midfielder Cesnauskis opened the scoring on the half hour and added a second six minutes later to put the Jambos firmly in control.

Bosnian midfielder Mirsad Beslija underlined the dominance of Valdas Ivanauskas's men with a third in the 74th minute.

Hearts started the game brightly with Calum Elliot firing just wide and a mix-up in the Spartak box gave Edgaras Jankauskas a chance but his effort rebounded to safety.

Hearts made the breakthrough on the half hour following a flowing move sparked by Robbie Neilson and continued by Andrew Driver whose inviting cross was volleyed home by Cesnauskis.

Six minutes later a Driver cross was headed goalwards and when Spartak keeper Hrdina could only parry, Cesnauskis rammed the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Christophe Berra was replaced by Lee Wallace after 54 minutes after suffering a neck injury.

Driver and Cesnauskis almost got Jankauskas in for a third and, 16 minutes from time, the clincher arrived from Beslija. He scored from close range from Elliot's lay-off.

Peter Duris grabbed a consolation goal for Spartak in the 80th minute, breaking free on the left and beating substitute keeper Jamie MacDonald with a low shot into the corner.

Taken from the Scotsman