Hearts European dream over after first leg

Three goals in the first half hour left Hearts with a mountain to climb in their Europa League tie with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Tynecastle side were carved open as early in the fifth minute when Van Der Vaart was allowed to waltz through to stroke the ball past Kello in the home goal.

Rather than coming out the blocks quickly and getting in amongst Spurs in an old fashioned cup tie way Hearts seemed content to sit back and as a result were well and truly punished by some slick play from Spurs.

It was therefore no surprise they were picked apart once again in 17 minutes, this time Defoe had plenty of time to pick his spot against the unprotected Kello. Hearts midfield seemed transfixed by the movement of the Spurs midfield and left them as much space as they wanted.

It was three just before the half hour mark, Van Der Vaart combined with Defoe to releaseLivermoreto pick his sport with Kello left exposed once again.

At this stage it looked as though it was a question of how many for the visitors as Hearts looked as though they were struggling to cope with Spurs as they poured forward.

At the start of the second half Hearts showed some greater spirit and forced Spurs on to the back foot as they won a series of corners but without really troubling the flapping Gomes in the visitors goal.

They were then put back in their place with another classy goal from Spurs, Huddlestone’s long ball beat the offside trap and Bale was allowed to waltz round Kello before rolling the ball into the empty net.

Spurs made it five with 12 minutes left on the clock, they broke quickly upfield from a Hearts corner and ended with a Townsend cross for Lennon to score from close range.

What the game proved once and for all is that our game is miles behind the cash rich EPL clubs who are funded by the enormous amounts of money Sky throw at them.