Templeton: No doubt Hearts goal was mine

Published Date: 22 February 2010
By BARRY ANDERSON
DAVID TEMPLETON today reflected on the joy of his first Hearts goal in the victory over Hamilton and insisted there should be no debate over who got the final touch on the ball.
The 21-year-old was credited with the second in yesterday's 2-0 win at Tynecastle and was at pains to stress that it was he and not Hamilton's Brian Easton who forced the ball over the goal line with 11 minutes remaining.

Easton's attempted clearance went high into the air and over Hamilton goalkeeper Thomas Cerny. He and Templeton pursued the dropping ball into the goalmouth and the winger, a 48th minute replacement for the injured Suso, succeeded in prodding it over the line to complement David Obua's earlier header and secure three points for Hearts.

"It's a massive thing for me to score my first goal for the club and now I'm hoping to go on and score a few more," Templeton told the Evening News. "The boy Easton lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper and just before it bounced over the line I managed to get my studs on it, so I'm claiming it.

"I thought I was going to get a chance from the through ball but it went over the keeper and came down and I had the chance to put it away. It was an easy goal."

Hearts' medical staff were due to assess Suso today after a thigh injury forced his withdrawal.

Meanwhile, the club have rescinded fines issued to Suso, Ian Black and Eggert Jonsson following December's controversial match with Hamilton at New Douglas Park.

Black and Suso were red carded and Jonsson cautioned following a post-match tunnel brawl. All three players were penalised by Hearts but appealed against the sanctions through the Scottish Players' Football Association.

Manager Jim Jefferies has opted to wipe the slate clean due to an administrative error as the correct discipline procedure was not followed.

"I came into the club in the middle of the situation and decided, with support from the club, that we should draw a line under what happened and start afresh," said Jefferies.

"While it's a clean slate for everyone, I've told the players that anything in the future will of course be dealt with."

Jefferies was scheduled to meet Campbell Ogilvie, Hearts' managing director, this afternoon to draw up a new disciplinary code for his squad.

Taken from the Scotsman