Crock strikes 12 for Hearts

HEARTS could be without 12 first-team stars for Sunday’s SPL clash against Aberdeen, the Evening News can reveal.

Stand-in Jambos boss John McGlynn has been hit by an injury crisis as he prepares to head to Pittodrie this weekend for the last game of the season, which the Dons have to win to have a chance of pipping Hibs for the UEFA Cup slot.

The news that the Gorgie side could have up to a dozen players out of action will heighten fears among the Hibees fans that the last-day showdown could see their European hopes wrecked - Tony Mowbray’s side take on title-chasing Rangers with a three-point cushion over Aberdeen with a swing in goal difference of six also required to deny them entry into the UEFA Cup.

Jamie McAllister won’t line up against his former employers having been ruled out by a knee injury, while midfielders Michael Stewart (back) and Stephen Simmons (foot) and front man Mark Burchill (thigh) are also struggling to make the trip to the Granite City.

McGlynn will also have to do without the services of his Lithuanian trio. Saulius Mikoliunas, David Cesnauskis and Marius Kizys are all on international duty having been included in the squad for Saturday’s Baltic Cup clash against Latvia in Kaunas, although whether they play or not remains to be seen as all three are currently nursing injuries.

The departing Kevin McKenna, Phil Stamp and Ramon Pereira have been out of favour for some time and are unlikely to feature as the Jambos bring the curtain down on their campaign in Aberdeen.

With skipper Steven Pressley already suspended for the trip north following his sending off against Celtic on Sunday and Christophe Berra, who has already deputised for the Scotland star this season, struggling with an ankle injury, McGlynn does not have his troubles to seek ahead of the Dons meeting.

"We could be down to the bare bones but we will just have to get on with things," said McGlynn.

"We were already being forced into a couple of changes with Elvis suspended and the Lithuanians away. To be fair, David Cesnauskis and Marius Kizys have been injured for the past couple of weeks and Salius actually took a knock against Celtic on Sunday."

Acknowledging the significance of the game to their arch rivals, McGlynn stressed that Hearts would be going out for victory irrespective of the starting line-up he may be forced to field.

He said: "We will go about our job professionally, just as we did against Celtic. In an ideal world, if this game meant nothing to both teams, we would take the opportunity to blood some younger lads.

"But there is a meaning to the game and we have to be respectful to the teams involved and do our utmost to win the match.

"We will give our injured lads every chance of making the game at Pittodrie but there are a few who are struggling at the moment."

The selection crisis meant McGlynn was forced to field a very inexperienced reserve side for today’s clash against Dunfermline at East End Park.

Berra was hoping to prove his fitness against Pars second-string but Craig Sives is standing by to make a rare first-team outing in the likely absence of both Pressley and Berra.

"We have every faith in Craig’s ability as a centre half and I wouldn’t have qualms about putting him into the side to face Aberdeen if that is the route which we have to go down this weekend," said McGlynn.

Taken from the Scotsman