Pressley set to play through the pain barrier

PAUL KIDDIE

HEARTS boss Craig Levein is hoping skipper Steven Pressley’s burning desire to play for his country doesn’t result in any lasting injury damage.

The Jambos captain starred in his side’s 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday despite feeling the effects of a niggling groin strain.

Although it is a problem which has been troubling him for the last few weeks, Pressley has ignored the handicap to help take his side into third place in the SPL, Hearts’ triumph over the Dons having seen Craig Levein’s outfit carve out a five-point advantage over nearest rivals Motherwell.

The 30-year-old has also been a key player for Scotland boss Berti Vogts this season and the Tynecastle stopper was due to report with the rest of his international team-mates at Hampden today as the German begins his preparations for Saturday’s Euro 2004 play-off showdown with Holland in Glasgow, the second leg going ahead in Amsterdam four days later.

Pressley has already stated he will play through the pain barrier to assist his nation’s hopes of a shock victory over Dick Advocaat’s side.

Levein knows there is little he can do to prevent his captain facing the Dutch and with two massive games against Hibs and then Bordeaux in the UEFA Cup coming up following the play-off, Levein can only hope the defender doesn’t aggravate the injury.

"Scotland have two games in a short space of time coming up," said Levein. "Elvis has basically been playing for Hearts without training during the week and hasn’t been fully fit.

"Given the importance of the match against Holland he will want to play and Berti Vogts will want to have him in his team. I also want Scotland to do well and there is not much I can do about his situation.

"I just have to keep my fingers crossed that he comes through everything okay."

Meanwhile, Hearts’ UEFA Cup second round return leg against Bordeaux has been confirmed a sell-out.

Thousands of fans had been bombarding the club’s ticket office after the Jambos’ famous first-leg triumph in France last week and Tynecastle will host a capacity crowd for the first time since last season’s 4-4 New Year derby against Hibs when Michel Pavon brings his team to Gorgie on Thursday, November 27.

"The demand for tickets has been exceptional since the win in France last Thursday," said Communications Executive Nadine Urquhart.

"We have had queues around the building and our phone lines have been jammed with people trying to buy tickets for the game.

"There has been so much interest and enthusiasm for the match that we could have sold another few thousand tickets if we had the seating available."

Hearts’ Under-21s, meanwhile, kept up their recent good form with a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Forthbank.

Mathu King grabbed the only goal of the game three minutes from time to keep the wee Jambos breathing down the neck of league leaders Celtic.

"It was a decent game," said coach John McGlynn.

"We had a young team out and while there wasn’t much in it, we probably deserved to shade the points."

Hearts: Moilanen, Knox, Hamill, Sives, Dunn, Armstrong (Berra), Sloan (Gardiner), Fox, Weir, King, McGeown (Kennedy).

Taken from the Scotsman