We'll hit back

PAUL KIDDIE

DEFIANT Hearts skipper Steven Pressley today shrugged off his side's shock CIS Cup defeat to struggling Livingston and insisted: "Our bubble hasn't burst."

Former Jambo Ramon Pereira struck in the 54th minute at Almondvale to send the Gorgie outfit spinning to their first defeat under George Burley, the reverse ending a run of eight successive victories. While Burley was forced to field a weakened team through injury - Takis Fyssas, Roman Bednar, Edgar Jankauskas and Julien Brellier were all sidelined - it was not the result which table-topping Hearts were looking for ahead of their SPL showdown with champions Rangers on Saturday.

Pressley insisted today, though, that the players' confidence has not been dented by the unexpected loss to the team sitting at the bottom of the SPL with just one point from their seven matches.

"We are obviously disappointed. We made a lot of changes for the game and although we competed well, we didn't manage to manufacture enough opportunities," he said.

"We wanted to win the match but it wasn't to be. But it doesn't mean our bubble has burst. Far from it, in fact. The start we have made to the season has been beyond our supporters' dreams. Seven straight wins in the league has been fantastic and the league is definitely the bread and butter for us and is definitely the most important aspect of our season."

He added: "This is my eighth season with the club and I desperately want to win some silverware but last night another one got away. We reached the semi-finals of both competitions last year and unfortunately went out. I know you can't achieve European football through the CIS Cup but it's always nice to be competing for silverware so that's obviously a disappointment.

"But we're now looking forward to Saturday's big game against Rangers. Last night was a setback but after seven wins in a row in the league our confidence is sky high. Lifting ourselves won't be an issue."

Pereira incurred the wrath of the Hearts skipper in the second half when he blasted the ball into his chest as he picked himself up after being fouled, the Scotland star pointing an accusing finger at his former team-mate and refusing his hand of apology at the time.

But the defender has insisted there are no hard feelings.

"I didn't shake his hand immediately afterwards as I felt he aimed the ball straight at me," he said.

"But Ramon explained afterwards that it was purely accidental, we shook hands and there isn't a problem between me and Ramon."

Hearts, meanwhile, have hit back in the ticket row with Rangers over the Ibrox side's allocation for the league clash at Tynecastle in March.

After being informed they would receive a reduced number of 2100 briefs for the clash next year, the Glasgow giants claimed the Gorgie club had reneged on an agreement to provide their fans with the entire Roseburn Stand for both matches in the Capital.

But Tynecastle chief executive Phil Anderton was robust in his view on the matter. He said: "That is categorically misleading and an insult to the club.

"No such assurance or guarantee was given.

"They will receive 2100 tickets - the equivalent of 12 per cent of our capacity - a figure we feel is more than fair."

Taken from the Scotsman