Frail keeps counsel over Viking raid for Velicka

"The only reason he didn't travel today was because of an injury that he has had for a few weeks and we are trying to manage," Frail said. "I know of the speculation but he is still a Hearts player, as far as I am concerned."

Frail said he was "not aware" that the club had received an offer for the 28-year-old from Viking, who have until April 1 before their association's transfer window closes. "I'm just concentrating on the football side," he said. Any bid would be owner Vladimir Romanov's to consider, Frail stated. "He will decide what is best for the club and the player. If he becomes a Viking player then good luck to him. It would give other players here an opportunity," he added.

Gales played havoc with yesterday's encounter and Frail believes the conditions might have warranted a postponement. "We call off games for waterlogged pitches and we should maybe look at calling games off for the wind," he said. "The fans get short-changed because it makes it a bit of a lottery."

Frail was keen to downplay any notion that yesterday's win, which cuts third-placed Motherwell's lead over Hearts to 11 points, could be a ticket to taking on Mark McGhee's side for the best-o
f-the-rest, UEFA Cup-earning, placing in championship. "It is still a tall order," he said. "We are just trying to reel in the top six and this gives us confidence for our next game (at home to Rangers on Wednesday]," he said.

The goal that separated the sides sparked a furore among the home fans. Referee Craig Thompson refused to stop play when David Clarkson suffered a head knock in a challenge with goalkeeper Stevie Banks and the Motherwell striker was still on the ground when play raged up to the other end and the home side's Stephen Craigan deflected an Eggert Jonsson drive past his own goalkeeper. Fir Park manager Mark McGhee refused to take the easy way out and implicate Thompson in the defeat.

"Regardless of how the goal manifested itself it is still a deserved win for Hearts," he said. "The conditions were as much of a challenge to us as Hearts, but they coped better."

Taken from the Scotsman