Jamie aims to keep the dream alive

JAMIE MOLE had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming when he was told he'd be leading the line for Hearts in a Champions League qualifier.

Now he's had a taste of the big time, though, he's turning his attention to the bread and butter of the SPL and a place in the starting line-up against Inverness this weekend.

The 19-year-old striker was drafted in to face AEK Athens on Wednesday night after illness and injury ruled out Roman Bednar, Michal Pospisil, Edgaras Jankauskas and Calum Elliot on one of the biggest nights in the club's history - and he didn't disappoint.

A man-of-the-match performance under his belt, Mole insists that Hearts have to forget about their 3-0 defeat and get on with the business of winning themselves another crack at the competition next season. He's hoping he can play a part in the club's' assault on the SPL this term after making just one start last time round - the CIS Cup defeat to Livingston - and reckons he's done his chances no harm with an assured display in Athens.

He said: "I was actually in the hotel in Athens on Wednesday morning when I found out that I would be starting the game. Our fitness coach Tam Ritchie came into my room and wished me good luck, said 'all the best for tonight, you're playing'. I couldn't believe it, to be honest. Before I knew what was happening we were having a strikers' meeting and I was in the staring line-up. It was a great feeling and I have to admit that I went straight on the phone to my family and my friends back home to let them know that I would be playing.

"All of the other guys in the team were really good with me as well, giving me advice.

"I've just got to keep my head down, work hard in training and keep doing what I'm doing, really. I'm confident in my own ability and hopefully I'll get my chance.

"That was only my second start for the club so to have played in a Champions League qualifier was just amazing. First of all, though, we've got to concentrate on the league. We've got a big game against Inverness on Saturday and we've got to get back to the bread and butter.

"I'd love to be involved in that game, I will just need to keep my fingers crossed - I don't think I've done my chances any harm.

"It was just a great experience, it's just a pity that we didn't get the result that we wanted."

A constant stream of chanting from the Greek supporters and the flares that crackled round the stadium were enough to send a shiver down the spine of the most experienced player out on that pitch, but Mole didn't seem to be fazed by the experience. He looked lively from the word go, was full of running and was a constant thorn in the side of the Greek defenders.

The last time the young striker was included in a starting line-up was at Almondvale in the CIS Cup 12 months ago, a game watched by just 2000 people and Mole admitted that it was a huge culture shock to run out into the white-hot atmosphere of the Olympic Stadium.

He added: "The last time I started was away to Livingston in the CIS Cup last season and I think there were only a couple of thousand people there so the game against AEK was a totally different experience.

"I have never played in front of a crowd that big - it could be the biggest crowd that I will ever play in front of. The atmosphere just made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

"You just hear noise and chanting all the time, even if you try to block it out you can't, it's always there in the back of you mind."

The 19-year-old could have given Hearts a fighting chance of overturning the Greek side's lead when he was played into the penalty box by Deividas Cesnauskis midway through the first half. It looked a certain goal as he touched the ball past AEK keeper Chiotis but the young striker just hadn't got enough on it.

Mole was as disappointed as the next man at the defeat but insists his side should be looking on the bright side and at the possibility of putting together a run in the UEFA Cup.

"I should have put that one in with my left foot, I just didn't get enough on it and it was disappointing because a goal at that time could have made a massive difference. We had another good chance with Paul Hartley when he came in for the header at the back post but we were just unlucky more than anything and at least we were able to create those chances.

"We're obviously all gutted that we lost the game but there's no point in letting our heads go down, we're still in the UEFA Cup and that's the good thing, we've got to be positive about it."

The youngster's performance was one of the positives from a night of disappointment for the Tynecastle side and the 400 supporters who made the trip to Athens and didn't go unnoticed by Hearts captain Steven Pressley.

Elvis believes that the fiery frontman has what it takes to make his mark in Valdas Ivanauskas' side this season and said: "I think that we have learned a lot over the course of the four games and I think that we have become a better European team because of that.

"We played with far more maturity than we did in the first leg and that was encouraging for the team, especially some of the younger players in our team.

"Jamie put in a terrific performance, he never stopped running all night and caused them a lot of problems. He took the ball in, went over the top, was a willing runner and he can only learn from an experience like that. It will be really good for his confidence as well. He came in and had an opportunity against Livingston in the cup last season and has just continued to build on that and I thought that he was fantastic."

Pressley was disappointed to lose those three late goals which sent Hearts crashing out of the competition with a 5-1 aggregate defeat but insisted that the Champions League experience will make he and his team-mates better players.

"I thought that it was a very encouraging performance but when you are playing nine men against a team of the quality of Athens it is very difficult. Unfortunately, we lost three late goals but I think it's fair to say that it wasn't a true reflection on how the game had been played. Normally we would be devastated at losing a game 3-0 but we feel that as a team we put in a good performance and we can take a great deal from it."

Taken from the Scotsman