Rheingau XI 0-6 Hearts

From Hearts News at Rheingau Stadion in Geisenheim, Germany

Hearts opened their pre-season tour of Germany with a resounding victory against a regional select.

The Jambos fielded a different team in each half . Lee Wallace was the only constant for the Jambos over the 90 minutes due to an earlier training injury sustained by David Obua.

The Jambos started brightly with Kingston shooting just over from 20 yards following good work on the left from Driver. Hearts kept their passing game going and were rewarded when a cross ball from Driver fell in the box kindly for Ksanavicius who struck a good low shot left footed shot past the keeper's despairing dive.

Driver was again the instigator after 8 minutes. He saw a narrow gap on the left hand side of the box, split the defence and Berra in the middle was just unsighted with a on overhead kick. Minutes later Driver picked up a ball on the left, crossed unselfishly and Glen's shot was superbly saved by Melzer.

It was two-nil after 11 minutes. This time Berra did get his reward for his forward play. Glen nodded a corner from the left onto Berra who finished the move with the goal.

A Hearts corner led to the third after 18 minutes. Ksanavicius swung it in from the right and Zaliukas bulleted a header into the left hand corner of Melzer's net.

Glen then provided a pinpoint crossball down the right and Templeton was unlucky with a glancing header. Again young Glen caused problems for the Germans down the right. This time he took the ball himself on a run and his shot was well saved by the keeper.

The Germans then had a penalty claim after 28 minutes when Sohns tangled with Berra just inside the box but the referee was close and saw little in the challenge. This appeared to prompt Rheingau into a more attacking mode and Heart conceded only the third free kick of the game mid way inside their own half. Morz shot wide and high.

Glen was next to test the keeper with an 18 yard shot which was well parried. Driver then swung a well angled shot across the goal but it drifted just wide. Glen, Templeton and Ksanavicius all then had chances but their aim was out .

Hearts were completely dominant and Ksanavicius was pulled down in the box with two minutes of the first half remaining after some nice footwork. Kingston tucked it away neatly into the left hand corner.

The second half started briskly and again the 'new' Hearts piled on the pressure. Michael Stewart had three shots within the first five minutes, two gliding over the bar and another blocked for a corner.

Cesnauskis was lively and Mole was keen to get on the ball at every opportunity. The returning Juho Makela then had a couple of half chances but failed to convert.

Michael Stewart then made it five. A great first time shot by Cesnauskas was well beaten away by Weisel but the ball fell to Stewart, 20 yards out and he expertly drov a shot high into the net.

It was six, two minutes later. Makela neatly chested the ball down from Cesnauskis cross and his volleyed burst the net from 8 yards. Weisel then saved well low down to gather a Michael Stewart shot from 20 yards. On a rare attack by Rheingau, McGowan contained Morz well.

Mole then had a shot cleared off the line after 65 minutes and then a minute later blasted just over the bar from a Makela knock down. Mikoliunas then came close by Weisel was again the German's saviour. Stewart then tested the German number one and he saved brilliantly to the left to push the ball out for a corner.

Stewart, Makela and Cesnauskis then linked up for the best play of the game and the Lithuanian just pulled his shot wide.

Further pressure led to strikes from Cesnauskis and Makela who were provided with a flood of opportunities by the industrious midfield of Stewart and Jonsson.

Muehlseigel then had Rheingau's best chance of the game but he hooked his shot just over after 82 minutes. That was the last real action and Hearts closed the game.

Rheingau Select: Melzer; Schreiner, Reisler, Vogt, Morz, Bauer, Akrri, Much, Bierschenk, Aktun, Sohns; Subs: Weisel, Newmenn, Klotz, Mealhisiegel, Dillmunn, Schromm, Brusser, Frienk.

Hearts (first half): Banks; Karipidis, Zaliukas, Berra, Wallace; Ksanavicius, Palazuelos, Kingston, Driver; Glen, Templeton. Sub: Husband

Hearts (second half): MacDonald; Thomson, Ivaskevicius, McGowan, Wallace; Mikoliunas, Stewart, Jonsson, Cesnauskis; Makela, Mole. Sub: Husband

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