MITCHY TRIGGER FINGER
HEARTS 0 NURNBERG 5 Jambos get shot to pieces but new boy Demetri is still debut success
as a firm favourite with the Gorgie faithful.
He said: “Demetri has played for United’s first team but this will be regular football.
“Usual ly when you come in as a 21-year-old you would be one of the youngest but in our dressing-room it makes you a senior player.
“We knew about him playing for United’s U23s so when his name came up we were interested and things aligned at the right time because they felt he was ready for a loan.
“We made the first enquiry and United were helpful both in terms of getting the player and the financial side of it.” A young Hearts side were taught a lesson by Nurnberg but coach Jon Daly was delighted with new boy Demetri Mitchell’s debut.
The German second-tier outfit cruised to victory in this Spanish friendly with Iceland ace Rurik Gislason hitting a double.
It was an experimental Jambos team as a host of kids lined- up alongside established players.
On-loan Manchester United kid Mitchell was thrown in at left-back and Daly was impressed with the 21-year- old.
Left- back has been a problem position for boss Craig Levein but Mitchell might provide a solution in the second half of the season.
Daly said: “We wanted to get Demetri integrated into the squad and get him used to playing with his new team-mates.
“It looks like he has something we’ve been lacking and it gives us an attacking threat from left-back.
“That’s the profile of the left-back the manager was after. Demetri fits that so we’re quite happy.
“He only trained with us in the morning so we’re happy he played 60 minutes.”
Andy Irving was also given another chance to shine after scoring a fantastic free-kick to earn a 1-1 draw against Vitesse Arnhem on Friday.
The 17-year-old, who will return to Berwick on loan until the end of the season, came on for the second half.
The midfielder caught Daly’s eye and the Irishman bel ieves he can follow the likes of Harry Cochrane and Anthony McDonald into the first team in the future.
He said: “We wanted to see the loan players and Andy has stood out in the two games.
“The trip as a whole has been successful aside from this result.
“We used loads of kids and it’s great experience for them. The result is disappointing but we have to look at who we were playing against and the line-up we had.
“Chrissy Hamilton playing beside Christophe Berra at the back is great experience for him.
“The trip in general is about getting boys back up to speed and giving people game time, plus bringing the young boys on.”
Mitchell – who penned a six-month loan deal from the Red Devils last week – was instantly recognisable at the Oliva Nova complex in Valencia as he sported snazzy pink and white boots.
But it was Nurnberg who started on the front foot and they almost took an early lead when Slovenian star Miso Brecko’s shot was hacked off the line by Hamilton.
The Germans came close again when Jon McLaughlin saved with his foot from Gislason’s drive.
The Icelandic international wasn’t to be denied on 19 minutes though when he beat the offside trap to slot past the keeper.
Another goal arrived just three minutes later when Brecko passed the ball into the net from 18 yards following Laszlo Sepsi’s set-up.
Harry Paton lashed one over the top on 28 minutes as the Jambos tried to muster a response.
They should have pulled a goal back on 33 minutes when Mitchell sprinted down the left and crossed to the unmarked Aidan Keena who fluffed his lines from close range.
Just 60 seconds later it was 3- 0 to the Germans when Tobias Werner netted with a composed finish from the edge of the box.
David Milinkovic then sent Keena through on goal but his attempted lob was saved by keeper Fabian Bredlow.
Nurnberg made it 4- 0 just before the break when Gislason bagged his second by lashing home Alexander Fuchs’ cutback.
Esmael Goncalves almost reduced the arrears after the break when he swerved a shot just wide.
Hearts were then denied a stonewall penalty when Ewerton upended Euan Henderson in the box and the referee completely blankedb the appeals.
En r i c o Va l ent i n i slammed sl an effort off the postp on 70 minutes as the GermanG side went in searchs of a fifth goal. And they finally made it 5-5 0 with a goal seven minutesm from time as Ulisses Garcia Lopes curled a fine side-footed drive into McLaughlin’s top left-hand corner from 20 yards.