On song Linn has Jam Tarts in a spin

ARBROATH 2

Donnelly (21), Doris (87)

HEARTS O

Hearts went to Arbroath to fire up their pre-season preparations.

Instead they got smoked by the Lichties, going down 2-0 to the Championship new boys at Gayfield Park.

Goals in either half from Luke Donnelly and Steven Doris earned the home side a comfortable win over the Jam Tarts, who fielded different teams before and after the break.

Both Jam Tarts outfits were inexperienced, but the way Arbroath picked them off means they will be Dick Campbell will be more encouraged by yesterday’s contest.

Arbroath seized the initiative from the off and grabbed the opening goal midway through the first half.

Last year’s Lichties player of the year, Bobby Linn, was a constant menace, and it was no surprise when he set up the home side’s goal.

Young Jambos’ right-back Jay Sandison found Linn a tricky customer in the opening stages, and he was beaten by a cross from the former Dundee winger on 21 minutes that Donnelly turned past Bobby Zlamal.

Sandison certainly looked uncomfortable, and he was substituted immediately after the Lichties’ opening strike, suffering from a hamstring complaint.

Hearts’ first real threat didn’t arrive until six minutes before the break.

First, Connor Smith played Lewis Moore in on goal, but the Jambos star’s effort was straight at Arbroath keeper Darren Jamieson.

From the rebound, Moore shaped a cutback towards Harry Cochrane, only for Lichties skipper Ricky Little to make a goal-saving block.

It was all change at the break for Hearts, with an entirely new 11, bar Cameron Logan, who had replaced Sandison in the first half.

The new-look Jam Tarts saw more of the ball in the second half, but struggled to find clear-cut opportunities.

With the lead firmly in their grasp, Arbroath withdraw into an organised, defensive set-up.

Even so, it was they who added a second with just four minutes to go.

Doris was the man on the mark, firing past Doyle on the stretch after a neat through ball from Linn.