Hearts’ latest pre-season friendly ended in defeat as we crossed the border into England to take on Championship side Preston North End on Saturday.
A solitary second half goal proved the difference with the Jambos beaten one-nil at Deepdale, the home of Preston which itself is widely regarded as the home of English football.
On this occasion, with a strong starting XI selected by Robbie Neilson, there weren’t wholesale changes made with our preparations ahead of the upcoming season, which is moving closer all the time, seeing most of those that started the game finish it too.
Preston’s winner came from a Garner header, a striker that was central to them gaining promotion last season from the third to the second tier of English football this coming season.
Preston NE: Jones, Clarke, Wright, Keane, Beckford, Johnson, Gallagher, Garner, Woods, Welsh, Huntington. Subs: James, Browne, Little, Davies, Brownhill, Hugill, Ryan, Anderton, Heaton.
Hearts: Alexander, Paterson, McHattie, Augustyn, McGhee, Nicholson, McKirdy (L. Smith, 85′), Pallardo (Anderson, 51′), King, Walker (El Hassnaoui, 82′), Sow (Reilly, 59′). Subs: Hamilton, Ozturk, Gomis, Buaben.
A full report can be read on heartsfc.co.uk.
Augustyn was back in the side and with him, as he has a few times this pre-season, wearing the captains armband you tend to think that perhaps Neilson has decided that he’s the man to lead us this season?
The winning goal itself came in slightly controversial circumstances with Jambos ‘keeper Alexander adamant he kept Garner’s header out but TV replays have proven ‘inconclusive’….
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