Hearts let down by off-key Mole

By Charles Carrick
(Filed: 29/09/2006)

In pics: Uefa Cup action
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Hearts stumbled out of the Uefa Cup when they were held to a goalless draw away to Sparta Prague, who went through to the group stage courtesy of their 2-0 first-leg win in Edinburgh.

Having survived a couple of scares in the first half, Hearts stepped up the tempo after the break but were unable to make the breakthrough.

Midfielder Deividas Cesnauskis replaced the suspended Neil McCann for Hearts, while defender Robbie Neilson, striker Jamie Mole and midfielder Julien Brellier came in for Marius Zaliukas, Ibrahim Tall and Roman Bednar with Tall and Bednar starting on the bench.

Hearts, cheered on by 3,000 travelling fans, started positively enough, led by captain Steven Pressley — who equalled Henry Smith's record of 22 appearances in Europe for the Edinburgh side. But the visitors rode their luck in the sixth minute when midfielder Paul Hartley was handily placed on the line to clear a close-range effort by Sparta defender Zdenek Pospech, following the home side's third corner in quick succession.

Moments later, Sparta striker Jan Simak hit a snap-shot from 30 yards which whistled past Craig Gordon's left-hand post.

Then, as the home side turned the screw, Daniel Kolar drilled a shot from the edge of the Hearts area which deflected off Hearts full-back Lee Wallace and crashed off the bar before eventually being cleared.

Mole had half a chance when Prague keeper Jaromir Blazek made a mess of a simple catch, but the teenager failed to look up and crossed the ball aimlessly into the middle of the penalty area.

Hearts wasted a great a chance to score the opening goal just three minutes after the restart. A Hartley header found Pinilla bearing down on goal and, with the Sparta defence exposed, the Chilean laid the ball off to Mole. The youngster only had the goalkeeper to beat from 16 yards but drove the ball straight at him.

Mole had missed a similar chance against AEK Athens in the Champions League qualifier which ultimately cost the Edinburgh side dearly and minutes later he appeared to be pay the price when he was substituted for the Czech striker Roman Bednar, but Sparta were not to be troubled.

Obafemi Martins paid a sizeable chunk off his £10 million transfer fee to put Newcastle into the group stage.

The 21-year-old headed home a 47th-minute Emre corner to claim his first goal at St James' Park, and then added a second three minutes later with a superb strike to see off Levadia Tallinn 2-1 for a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Blackburn had no problems in beating SV Salzburg 2-0 at Ewood Park for a 4-2 aggregate victory. Benni McCarthy and David Bentley scored either side of half-time. A goal by Robbie Keane 10 minutes from time was enough to give Tottenham a 2-0 aggregate win over Slavia Prague, but West Ham's dreadful form continued when they crashed 3-0 away to Palermo, going out 4-0 on aggregate. Fabio Henrique was their main tormentor with a goal in each half.

Derry City, who had held Paris St Germain to a goalless draw in the first leg, went down 2-0 in France.

Hertha Berlin, Marseille, Schalke and Brondby all bowed out of the competition before the group stage.

Taken from telegraph.co.uk