Levein looks to regroup after action-packed week

GRAEME CROSER

HEARTS boss Craig Levein was today relishing the prospect of a free midweek as his players look to recover from an intense period of action.

The Jambos’ 1-1 draw at Motherwell on Saturday was their third match in six days, coming on the back of a testing SPL clash with Rangers and UEFA Cup tie against NK Zeljeznicar.

The Tynecastle side looked a little tired from those exertions as they battled for a point at Fir Park, but Levein declared himself satisfied with their efforts on the back of such a hard week.

And now he’s hoping his players can use the rest of the week to recharge the batteries ahead of this weekend’s home league clash with Dundee at Dens Park.

He said: "It’s good that we don’t have a game this midweek as it will give us little chance to recover. The fact we played Rangers last Sunday had a knock-on effect for the whole week as it gave us one day less to prepare for the European game.

"Those two games were particularly high-tempo affairs and I think that probably had a bearing on the way the game went at Motherwell.

"We’d rather have had three points but overall I don’t have too many complaints. We lost one goal but never really looked like conceding any more while we might have got a winner late on."

The rest may be of particular benefit to winger Paul Hartley, who scored his first goal for the club against the Steelmen only to limp off just after half-time with a thigh injury.

Levein revealed that the extent of the former St Johnstone man’s injury was not yet apparent but conceded it was of some concern.

He said: "It’s too early to say whether Paul is a doubt for the weekend but obviously the fact he had to come off is of some concern.

"I felt sorry for him because he was playing very well.

"He looked lively and his use of the ball was good but he got a knock on his thigh after 20 minutes or so.

"He wanted to stay on but after a couple of minutes of the second half it had become too sore for him to continue. We didn’t want a strain to develop into a tear and we decided it was best for him to come off."

Meanwhile, the Jambos’ under-21 side take on Motherwell at Stirling’s Forthbank Stadium tonight.

Taken from the Scotsman