Tottenham Hotspur 0 Hearts 0 (5-0 on agg)

Aug 26 2011 By Gary Ralston

THE patient passed away peacefully last night after seven days of torment and now Scottish football must hope the post mortem results find a cure for our European epidemic.

Hearts players walked out of Tynecastle last week with their heads hung in shame after their 5-0 drubbing in the first leg of the Europa League qualifier.

They didn't exactly stroll down Tottenham High Road last night whistling a tune en route to their flight home to Edinburgh, but they at least saved face with a gutsy performance in North London.

Let's not kid ourselves though.

On a shameful night for Scottish football we shouldn't celebrate the fact Hearts avoided the heaviest aggregate loss in the history of our game as fears the eight-goal gap Rangers suffered in their 12-4 loss against Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 was set to be eclipsed.

Still, be grateful for small mercies and also for the fact the Hearts players prevented their boisterous, cacophonous travelling support of 2,500 further embarrassment.

The visiting fans demanded: "Harry, Harry give us a wave," when Spurs boss Redknapp came to the edge of his technical area after an hour. They might have been better off asking for a few of his players on loan instead.

They followed it up with cries of "Harry is a Jambo" and "there's only one Harry Redknapp" and their relief at avoiding another drubbing was palpable.

Spurs fielded more fringe performers than you'll see up and down the Royal Mile this month, but they are exactly the kind of players who should have been going out to impress their boss.

Hearts didn't give them a chance with the type of aggressive, high-tempo display of pressing football that was so sadly lacking in Gorgie seven days previously when Spurs' qualification for the group stages was secured.

It augurs well for the derby at Tynecastle on Sunday and also hints new boss Paulo Sergio is beginning to get his ideas across to his players.

This was all about salvaging some pride and they did that against a Spurs side that, admittedly, treated this game at stages as a practice match and even missed a first-half penalty.

But the ills afflicting the Scottish game are bigger than this match and as SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster looked on, his organisation must be at the forefront of identifying the changes that must be made to make us competitive again.

We used to say the Scottish national team were home from major competitions before the postcards. These days, we aren't even getting to the shops to buy the stamps - and, pitifully, we're now a long, long way short of even second class.

Cracked Spurs won a corner in the first minute and fears it was about to be another drubbing rose, but thankfully subsided when the Jambos defence dealt with the set-piece comfortably.

Roman Pavlyuchenko forced Jamie MacDonald to make a terrific save low to his left when he seized on a poor defensive header but Hearts were actually looking comfortable.

Pre-match fears their midfield looked lightweight were proving unfounded as they took the game to Spurs.

In fact, it was the Jambos who almost opened the scoring in 12 minutes when Ryan McGowan picked out striker Gordon Smith.

Smith held off a challenge from Michael Dawson and cracked the underside of the bar with a fierce volley from 20 yards.

Spurs were stung as the ecstatic Jambos support told the rest of the ground they were going to win 6-0.

In truth, Redknapp's side should have had a penalty when Andy Webster went in late on Harry Kane, who had just released his pass inside the box, but Hearts survived and were soon buzzing around the Spurs box again.

Danny Grainger tried to sneak a free-kick on the right in at the front post, but Carlo Cudicini was alert to the danger.

It was all too good to last and Jambos fans let out a collective groan in 28 minutes when Tom Carroll laced a pass down the inside left channel for Kane, who was bundled off the ball by MacDonald as the keeper feared being rounded in the box.

Greek ref Anastasios Kakos pointed immediately to the spot and cautioned the keeper.

But the former Scotland Under-21 starlet made amends by diving low to his right to bat away Kane's penalty.

Hearts started the second half brightly and David Templeton cut in from the right-hand side and curled a left-foot shot just wide.

Midfielder Eggert Jonsson burst forward moments later and let rip from 25 yards but his left-foot effort whizzed past the woodwork.

For their part, Spurs looked content to play within themselves and see out the tie, mindful of their game at home to Manchester City on Sunday and they caused few moments to worry MacDonald.

At the other end, Cudicini could say the same, but he was alert to dive to his right near the end to hold a shot from sub Mehdi Taouil.

A 1-0 win would have been a shock, but would still not have hidden the fact the last seven days for the reputation of our game have been shocking.

Player ratings: Tottenham Hotspur v Hearts

Aug 26 2011 By Gavin Berry

Jamie MacDonald 7 Made amends for conceding first-half penalty when he brought down Kane with brilliant save. First start since conceding four at Ibrox at end of last season but early save from Pavlyuchenko settled any nerves.

Ryan McGowan 6 Good run to set up Hearts' best chance when Smith hit the woodwork but forced on to back foot most of game against impressive Townsend.

Marius Zaliukas 7 After shipping five goals last week skipper stood tall and helped restore some defensive pride. One rush of blood to the head with wayward back pass but generally solid.

Andy Webster 6 Lucky not to concede penalty when he threw himself into a challenge on Kane as Spurs kid raced in on goal. Can be happy with shutting Spurs out as Jambos defended stoutly.

Danny Grainger 6 Dangerous left-footed free-kick from right had Cudicini scrambling across his line to make save at near post. Tough challenge against Fredericks and caught out a couple of times.

David Templeton 7 Didn't get to see much of the ball at all and when he did appeared to run into a white shirt. One of Hearts' brightest young hopes found out exactly what is required at the very highest level and will undoubtedly learn from that.

Eggert Jonsson 7 Long-range effort in second half drifted just wide. Worked hard in middle of the park and was hauled back in the first half by Pavlyuchenko as he tried to burst out of midfield.

Scott Robinson 7 Always showed for the ball with a performance of great bravery and maturity in midfield. Not fazed by occasion and will gain from valuable learning experience. Subbed late on.

Arvydas Novikovas 7 Got more joy down left than Templeton on right. Brighter in first half with a couple of dangerous runs before fading after the restart.

Rudi Skacel 6 Experience vital in a team with so many youngsters. Long-range effort went well wide early on but general link-up play was good before replaced in latter stages by Mrowiec.

Gordon Smith 7 Desperately unlucky with first-half effort off underside of bar. Gave Spurs something to think about with movement. Subbed late on.

Substitutes: Adrian Mrowiec 3 Replaced Skacel and steady enough. Mehdi Taouil 2 Tested Cudicini late on with a shot. Suso Santana 1 Unable to get the winner.

Subs not used: Kello, Driver, Obua, Stevenson.

Tottenham: Cudicini, Corluka, Dawson (Kaboul), Bassong, Fredericks (Kranjcar), Carroll, Livermore (Nicholson), Huddlestone, Townsend, Pavlyuchenko, Kane. Subs: Friedel, van der Vaart, Defoe, Assou-Ekotto. Referee: A Kakos (Greece).

Taken from the Daily Record