Ludwigsfelder 0 - 4 Hearts: David Templeton brace helps Hearts sink Germans

Published Date: 08 July 2011
By ALEX SCHWEITZER-THOMPSON
AT LUDWIGSFELD
Ludwigsfelder 0

Hearts 4

Grainger 55, Templeton 64, 86, Taouil 84
HEARTS took nearly an hour to break the deadlock against their German sixth-tier opponents last night, but David Templeton's double helped them to a 4-0 win over Ludwigsfelder.

Danny Grainger and Mehdi Taouil were also on target in the first of Hearts' two tour friendlies, with the second match against Union Berlin tomorrow.

Hearts opened brightly, with Ryan Stevenson's shot from the edge of the box on 12 minutes cleared off the line while Andy Webster spurned a couple of guilt-edged chances from close range.

Midfielder Scott Robinson struck a long-range effort that cannoned off the left-hand post and rebounded off the goalkeeper's back in another near miss for the visitors.

A new-look Hearts side emerged for the second half and enjoyed more luck against their stuffy hosts. David Obua was clipped en route to the penalty box and Grainger swung the resultant free-kick round the wall from 20 yards and into the net, just as he had done two days previously against East Fife.

Just under ten minutes later a brilliant piece of improvisation from Templeton doubled the score. The substitute saw goalkeeper Toni Erne off his line and deftly chipped the ball into the far corner from 20 yards out.

Then fellow replacement Gordon Smith showed impressive strength to hold off a ruck of defenders in the box but lifted his effort over the goalkeeper and over the bar.

Moments later Smith's direct approach play drew a foul 20 yards out, and Grainger struck the outside of the post.

On 84 minutes, Jason Holt won possession for Taouil to add a third goal by chipping the goalkeeper.

The scoring was completed two minutes later when a headed clearance from the Ludwigsfelder defence fell to Templeton on the edge of the box and he hooked a left-foot volley into the left-hand corner of the net.

Hearts: Kello, Grainger, Zaliukas (R McGowan 46), Webster (Mrowiec 46), Barr, Novikovas (Wallace 70), Robinson (Templeton 46), Obua (Holt 65), Hamill, Stevenson (Taouil 56), Sutton (Smith 46).

Taken from the Scotsman