St Pauli 2-0 Hearts
From Hearts News at the Millerntor Stadion, Hamburg

St Pauli came out the winners in this third pre-season friendly here in Germany, tonight. A goal in each half was enough to see off the Jambos.

Hearts took to the field in a rain soaked Millerntor Stadion in Hamburg for tonight's third pre-season friendly, against strong Bundesliga 2 opposition.

The teams were given a warm welcome by the near 5,000 crowd which included Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

Before the decibels of AC/DC's Hells Bells entrance music had dimmed, the all brown kitted St Pauli almost took the lead with a flowing move down the right.Lehmann crossed to the onrushing Schultz who clipped the bar with a 20 yard shot. Two minutes later Bruns came close with a back post header which hit the side netting.

The flowing football was all one way and Hearts new signing Ismael Bouzid decided to disrupt that flow after seven minutes with a crushing tackle on Kalla and was promptly booked by referee Harm Osmers.

Then Hearts had their first attack and it almost lead to a goal when Michael Stewart was played through. He unselfishly crossed to Witteveen whose header looped towards the outreaching hands of the keeper Hain. The German spilled the ball momentarily and was clattered was by Elliot.

St Pauli enjoy a vocal support but the 200 Hearts supporters in the ground were happy to play their part in building the atmosphere.

Palazuelos almost gave them reason to celebrate after 20 minutes when he shot a blistering drive which Hain did well to save. Hearts were now playing football that belied the pre-season status of the game and were shaking off the effects of two and a quarter hour bus journey from Hannover to Hamburg.

Palazuelos was again on hand minutes later to drill a shot just past the right hand post after a curling Suso corner was cleared only as far as the Spaniard's right foot.

Hearts were one nil down after 28 minutes after Kello pulled down Max Kruse after good work down the left by Bruns. Bruns then took the honour and dispatched his show low to the left.

Bouzid was again the enforcer minutes later when he slid in to make a last gasp tackle in the left hand side of the box. The Algerian was looking assured in his first pairing with new central partner Kucharski.

And then Witteveen showed a glimpse of his quality taking a through ball on his chest on the edge of the are with his back to goal. The big Austrian swivelled and shot but the keeper did well to gather on the slippery surface.

Wallace and Obua then linked well on the left but the cross ball was harmless. Only a minute later Obua wriggled free of his marker and shot low and hard but Hain again proved he is a good keeper. Suso then chased a 'lost cause' down the right. He was rewarded when the pressized Lechner prodded the ball out for a throw at the corner flag.

Timo Schultz then almost doubled the Germans lead on the final kick of the first half but Kello did well to scoop the ball from his feet.  

Hearts opened the second half brightly and sharp thinking prompted Gary Glen to play a cheeky back heel into the path of Obua whose hard shot was parried by substitute keeper Pliquett.

Takyi then came close for St Pauli with his shot drifting past the lunge of Kello and wide of the post after good work by Lehmann.

Elliot then looked to take a knock on the hour mark but he broke the pain barrier to cross seconds later and Glen was just beaten by the grasp of the German keeper.

Michael Stewart, captain again for the game, made his voice heard in midfield and at this stage the match was balanced. Black was also keen to be playmaker with skillful Luksa and Jonsson working the right channel.

MacDonald was called into action after 65 minutes and made a good save from a low shot angled from the edge of the box. Again St Pauli were trying to assert their dominance. They broke from an attacking Hearts move and it was four against two but Jonsson cut out the danger. The Icelander looked assured to clear the ball from danger.

Novikovas then stole the ball on the left but his shot was ambitious and the keeper gathered. Another youngster, Ryan McGowan, also showed composure to clear danger on the edge of the box after 75 minutes.

Luksa and Jonsson then interchanged well at the corner flag when hemmed in and Jonsson just had too much to do to connect with the through pass i the box at an acute angle.

The Lithuanian duo of Novikovas and Luksa then almost created the equaliser for Hearts. Novikovas took the ball on the left and delayed his pass long enough to allow Luksa to race in and clip a shot just wide. 

Naki broke clear in the closing minutes but MacDonald did just enough to push the player to such an acute angle that the attacker could only square the ball.

Novikovas showed why Benfica had been interested in signing him before Hearts snapped him up. Again he twisted and turned to create space and his pass to Liksa was then squared to Glen but the young Scot blasted over.

It was all over with a couple of minutes to go after Lehmann rose to head home after a Dropo-Ampermn cross. 

St Pauli: Hain; Lechner, Morena, Hennings, Bruns, Schultz, Eger, Kruse, Lehmann, Kalla, Daube. Subs not used: Pliquett; Gunesch, Takyi, Thorandt, Boll, Biermann, Naki, Pichinot, Dropo-Ampern.

Hearts: Kello (MacDonald, 58); Jonsson (C Thomson, 83), Kucharski (McGowan, 70), Bouzid, Wallace (Goncalves, 46), Suso (Luksa, 56), Stewart (Mrowiec, 65), Palazuelos (Black, 46), Obua, Witteveen (Glen), Elliot (Novikovas, 65); Subs not used: J Thomson, Cinikas.

Referee: Harm Osmers