Andy aiming to get back to winning ways

HIGH-FLYING Hearts hope to wash away the bitter taste of defeat by returning to winning ways against Livingston at Tynecastle tomorrow.

The Jambos crashed to their first loss in 12 SPL games last weekend when First Division-bound Partick Thistle shocked the Gorgie outfit 1-0 at Firhill, a result boss Craig Levein maintained was more to do with his team’s recent hectic schedule than anything else.

The men in maroon had travelled west with spirits high but returned to the Capital on a real downer after Andy Thomson’s coupon-busting second-half goal left their proud record in ruins.

The Jags clash was Hearts’ third successive road trip following hard on the heels of visits to Parkhead and Motherwell, but with the comforts of home to look forward to once again, Levein’s side is anxious to atone for the Partick setback with the visit of Davie Hay’s CIS Cup winners.

Defeat was clearly hard to take for the players who had enjoyed such a profitable sequence of results, including the recent draws against both Celtic and Motherwell when the performances could well have been rewarded with two victories.

While such setbacks have been thin on the ground for the Jambos this season, any time Levein has looked for a response from his players, they have normally obliged in customary manner.

The Gorgie chief will be expecting a similar statement of intent tomorrow after giving his men extra time off this week to help shake off any fatigue which Levein believes was the major contributory factor behind the unexpected loss.

And Scotland star Andy Webster is hoping the disappointment of Firhill will help act as a catalyst for a storming finish to the season as Hearts look to finally clinch third place and qualification for the UEFA Cup for the second season running.

Thistle’s win opened the door for Dunfermline to pile on the pressure in the race for Europe but, fortunately for the Jambos, Jimmy Calderwood’s Fifers failed to make the most of the opportunity, last night’s defeat at Motherwell following Tuesday’s draw with Hibs at East End Park leaving them eight points adrift of Hearts.

"We were all hugely disappointed after last week’s result but that is in the past and we are concentrating on Livingston now," said Webster, who made his comeback on Saturday after a month out with an ankle injury.

"Winning is a good habit to get into and we have to try to get back on the rails tomorrow.

"We had been playing well up until the Partick game and it’s ironic that we lost to them after having done so well to get a draw against Celtic at Parkhead.

"Hopefully, though, that result will have given us a kick up the backside and will help to spur us on for the remaining few weeks of the season."

Hearts are now once again firm favourites to book their return to Europe and Webster insists there is no sense of panic in the Gorgie dressing-room, rather a determination to ensure nothing similar happens again this season.

The Jambos remain firmly on course for third place and the former Arbroath defender would like to see that goal achieved with something of a flourish in the coming weeks.

"There are six games left and ideally we would want to take 18 points from those matches," he said.

"We can’t catch Rangers now, but at the end of the day, it’s all about finishing third and winning that UEFA Cup spot again.

"There is no panic at all. The ball is in our court and we all know what we have to do, beginning against Livingston at Tynecastle tomorrow."

Amid all the off-field troubles this season which threatened to engulf tomorrow’s visitors, David Fernandez has once again been a shining light for the West Lothian outfit.

The on-loan Celtic star was outstanding in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Rangers at Almondvale and will no doubt provide the greatest threat to Hearts’ impressive home record - it’s nearly two years since any team from outside the Old Firm won there.

Webster is looking forward to the challenge of shackling the mercurial Spaniard and knows that concentration will be the key.

"Last Saturday was my first game back in four weeks and while it was difficult to stay focused due to the tiredness towards the end of the game, I managed to get through it," he said.

"Playing at the back you need to be well organised and that is going to be important tomorrow.

"David Fernandez is an excellent player and you don’t get a move to Celtic without being a quality performer.

"He is a tricky customer and has proven himself to be up their with the best strikers in the SPL. You always want to play against the best to try to improve your game and I’ll look forward to lining up against him if selected.

"We know it is going to be a difficult match. Livingston have done really well this season, particularly over the last couple of months or so.

"They are a good footballing side and we know that we will have to perform at our best to take the three points.

"But after last week, that is something we are determined to do."

Taken from the Scotsman