Neilson is happy to push for Jambos' Euro place

WHILE Hearts boss Craig Levein would prefer to be on Tennent’s Scottish Cup duty this weekend, he will be hoping to use Sunday’s league clash with Kilmarnock to crank up the heat in the race for Europe.

With the Jambos’ dreams of Hampden glory this season having long since evaporated, the Gorgie chief has turned his full attention to consolidating his side’s third place in the table - with good effect.

Since being dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Celtic last month, Hearts’ European quest has gathered momentum, the team taking 11 points from the following five matches.

Saturday’s scrappy 0-0 draw with Dunfermline at East End Park kept the Fifers nine points adrift of the third-placed Gorgie outfit and with their nearest rivals taking on Partick Thistle at Firhill tomorrow for a place in the last four of the cup, the visit to Rugby Park offers Levein the chance to turn the screw in the bid for UEFA Cup qualification.

"Dunfermline are in cup action tomorrow so this is a chance for us to increase the gap on them to 12 points and really turn up the pressure," said defender Robbie Neilson.

"It’s always better to have points in the bag at this stage of this season rather than playing catch up and we will be trying our best to make the most of the opportunity.

"We played some of our best football of the season the last time we went to Kilmarnock and we basically took the game by the scruff of the neck in the first half.

"Hopefully we can start well again on Sunday and take the initiative but it’s going to be a difficult match as Kilmarnock will have taken a lot of confidence from their win over Dundee last weekend."

Neilson formed part of a resolute Hearts rearguard against the Pars, although the position of left-back came as something of a surprise to him given the fact he had never played there before.

But as the campaign enters a critical stage, the 23-year-old doesn’t mind where he is deployed, as long as he is involved.

"I was delighted when I was told I was in the team for Dunfermline but I have to admit I was a bit surprised to hear I was playing at left-back as I thought I’d be in the same role on the right as against Livingston.

"It’s the first time I have ever played at left-back and it took a wee while to get used to. There was always the inclination to get the ball on to my right foot but once I settled into it, I thought I did okay.

"I didn’t mind it at all. I saw the game from a different perspective and playing in different positions has to improve me as a player which hopefully has benefits for the whole team.

"I don’t know what the gaffer is planning for Sunday and whether I’ll be in the side or not but I’m happy to play anywhere as long as I am getting a game for Hearts.

"We are entering a crucial stage of the season with a lot of big games coming up as we continue our push for Europe and everyone wants to be involved as much as possible."

The fare on offer at Dunfermline was not pleasing on the eye, although the share of the spoils was a satisfying outcome for the Jambos, particularly in the absence of the influential Paul Hartley and Mark de Vries through injury.

Both will be missing again on Sunday - Hartley is suspended, as is Patrick Kisnorbo - and Neilson won’t mind a similarly dull affair as long as the team has something to show for its efforts.

"I think both teams nullified each other at East End Park and we were the happier side with the draw," he said. We were both missing important players and failed to create much but at the end of the day the result meant we had taken seven points out of nine which was a good return.

"We have built up some momentum and the intention now is to keep that going.

"I’ll be happy to get back on the grass as I’m not a great fan of the plastic surface at East End Park and hopefully we can get back to creating chances and scoring goals.

"But if it isn’t a great game again and we take something from it, then I don’t think there will be too many complaints from the supporters. Our objective is to finish as high up the league as possible and if we can do that and achieve European qualification for the second year running, then when people look back at the end of the season, I don’t think they’ll really be too concerned about scrappy draws or disappointing performances."

He added: "There will be 11 games left after Sunday’s match at Rugby Park. We have worked hard to get ourselves into this position and we now have to try to finish the job off as soon as possible and help take the pressure off ourselves."

Taken from the Scotsman