Hearts were beaten 2-1 by English Premiership newcomers Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly at Tynecastle on Friday evening.
With the new main stand under construction, Tynecastle had just three stands open with half of the Roseburn Stand being allocated to a vociferous Toon Army. Hearts Head Coach Ian Cathro was reunited with his former mentor Rafa Benitez, having been assistant to the Spaniard before swapping Tyneside for Tynecastle last year.
A strong United team took the lead after just three minutes when de Jong set up Gayle who fired past Jack Hamilton.
Hearts had the perfect opportunity to equalise in the 15th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Jamie Walker was tripped inside the penalty box but Isma Goncalves penalty kick was more of a threat to those in the Roseburn Stand than the Newcastle keeper.
Soon after, however, Hearts did equalise. Fine play from Goncalves and new boy Carl Stockton set up Jamie Walker to score from close range.
Newcastle were looking dangerous whenever they went forward and they went back in front soon after Hearts equaliser when Gayle headed home.
A plethora of substitutes in the second half – United made six changes at the interval – meant the game disintegrated somewhat in the second half and there was no further scoring.
That said, it was a decent showing from the Maroons and Ian Cathro was satisfied enough after the game.
“It was a good quality, high performance work out,” he told the official Hearts website. “It was a real positive, exactly what we needed. It’s good for the players to have that level of competition against a good side.
“Our plan is for us to become a good side too, but we’re in the middle of work to get us there, so there were some really positive moments to go along with it.”
Hearts next game is at Elgin City in the Betfred Cup on Tuesday evening.
Hearts: Hamilton, M.Smith, Smith-Brown, Nowak, Hughes, Berra, Walker, Buaben, Lafferty, Cowie, Isma. Subs: Noring, Stockton, Sammon, Martin, Currie, Grzelak, McGhee, Brandon, Beith, Petkov, Cochrane.
Newcastle: Elliot, Clark, Lascelles, Shelvey, Gayle, Diame, De Jong, Aarons, Mbemba, Haidara, Atsu. Subs: Woodman, Dummett, Colback, Hanley, Lazaar, Perez, Lejeune, Saivet, Gamez, Armstrong, Mitrovic.
Referee: Willie Collum
Att: 10,001
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
