Hearts trio pay price

HEARTS boss Craig Levein was today counting the cost of last night’s match against Sunderland after three players picked up injuries with the start of the season just over a week away, writes MARK BONTHRONE.

The Jambos turned in an excellent performance as they battled out a 2-2 draw in a highly-competitive match but the display may have come at a high price. Recent signing Paul Hartley was forced to go off at half-time after taking a kick to the ankle in the first-half while young winger Joe Hamill also failed to emerge for the second half after picking up a similar complaint.

Alan Maybury took a heavy blow to his shin and although he played the full 90 minutes of the game he is now causing concern.

Phil Stamp managed 85 minutes of the game despite playing with a chest infection and was taken off late on after struggling to breathe as he tired.

The Tynecastle outfit were already without Jean-Louis Valois, Gary Wales, Stephen Simmons and Kevin McKenna through injury for last night’s match against the English First Division side and will be desperate to have some of them fit again for Saturday’s Festival Cup clash with Hibs at Easter Road.

Levein said: "Joe Hamill has a dead leg and Paul Hartley has had four stitches in his ankle after being caught on the edge of the box in the first half.

"Maybury took a knock on the front of his shin and although he got through the game I’m worried about him.

"Phil Stamp came off with an illness. He’s had a chest infection and he hasn’t quite managed to shake it off. It hit him late on and he was struggling to breathe when he was tired.

"I don’t know what we’ll be looking at for Saturday, to be honest."

Last night’s game looked as though it could boil over at points with Sunderland, in particular, being overly physical at times.

Several challenges, particularly late on, incurred the wrath of the home support and referee Ian Fyfe had to book substitute Paul Thirwell in a bid to diffuse the situation.

Taken from the Scotsman