Raith 0 Hearts 3

Jul 15 2012 By Anthony Brown
David Templeton large

Hearts star David Templeton scores against Raith

HEARTS boss John McGlynn assured John Sutton he has a big part to play this season after the towering hitman returned to help crush Raith.

Sutton fell out of favour under former boss Paulo Sergio last term and was farmed out on loan to Australian side Central Coast Mariners.

But with Craig Beattie, Gary Glen and Stephen Elliott having left Gorgie over the summer, the Englishman is back to find he’s the only recognised striker in McGlynn’s ranks.

And Sutton immediately set about making the most of his second chance with a well-taken goal as Hearts cruised to victory in a testimonial match for long-serving Raith defender and boyhood Jambo Laurie Ellis.

McGlynn said: “He’s the only striker I’ve got at the moment so of course I’m going to use him.

“He has looked the part in training and his attitude has been great. He showed today what he’s all about. He led the line and took his goal well. That will do his confidence no harm.

“If our wide players get the balls into the box he’ll go in and attack them.

“He maybe didn’t fit in under Paulo but he’s getting a chance to go and stake a claim. His CV speaks for itself.”

Raith player-boss Grant Murray included himself in the starting 11, while former Rovers trio Craig Dargo, Gary Wales and Marvin Andrews were welcomed back to pay tribute to Ellis and took their places on the bench.

McGlynn, taking charge of Hearts for the first time against the club he left just a few weeks ago, included five players who started in the Scottish Cup Final just eight weeks ago.

But he was denied the services of captain Marius Zaliukas and left-back Danny Grainger through illness and injury. Kids Callum Paterson, Denis Prychynenko and Kevin McHattie also started.

After the pre-match rituals that included a guard of honour from both teams to welcome Ellis on to the pitch, McGlynn was given a stranding ovation by both sets of fans.

It was Raith who carved out the first real chance in 10 minutes when Grant Anderson got in behind the Hearts defence before driving his low angled strike from 15 yards just wide.
Callum Paterson large

They went close again seven minutes later when striker Brian Graham drilled a low shot agonisingly past from the edge of the box.

During play the Raith fans regularly belted out anti-SFA songs and chanted the name of club director Turnbull Hutton, who was one of the most outspoken figures in ensuring Rangers were demoted to the Third Division.

Hearts’ first sight of goal came in 19 minutes as Sutton curled an effort straight at keeper David McGurn.

The former Rovers striker then showed an impressive turn of pace to get away from Murray in 26 minutes but McGurn blocked his effort.

Sutton was again in the thick of it as Hearts took the lead two minutes later. The forward saw a shot charged down in the box and young Paterson followed up to chest the ball down and drill a left-foot shot beyond McGurn.

Rovers almost replied immediately but Pat Clarke saw his curling free-kick tipped over by Jamie MacDonald.

However, it was the away side who extended their lead two minutes before the break, Sutton slotting home from just inside the box after being put through by Ryan McGowan.

Former Raith and Hearts player Scott Crabbe paraded the Scottish Cup at half-time and the Jambos almost had further reason to cheer moments later. But Rovers somehow held firm in the face of a goalmouth scramble.

Both sides made a flurry of subs and one of them, David Templeton, put Hearts further ahead when he bent home a long-range strike in 67 minutes.

Just as the game was petering out, Rovers replaced testimonial man Ellis with club legend Andrews to rapturous applause. On his way off, an emotional Ellis shared a hug with McGlynn.

The Hearts boss added: “We put a lot of young lads in and won convincingly.

“Once we settled, we played good football. Callum showed good energy levels and took his goal well.”

Taken from the Daily Record