Hearts seek perfect end to make-or-break spell

By STUART BATHGATE
Published on Tuesday 20 March 2012 22:33

AT the start of this month Hearts were facing three fixtures they knew could make or break their season. They have won the first two to all but cement their place in the top six, and travel to Paisley tonight knowing victory in the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay will keep their campaign very much alive on two fronts.

If Paulo Sergio’s team had lost to Rangers and Hibernian, their place in the upper half of the table would be very much in jeopardy, and defeat by St Mirren as well would have ensured a long and gloomy conclusion to the season. But they won 2-1 at Ibrox, and beat Hibernian 2-0 in Sunday’s derby and go into tonight’s match with high hopes of winning through to a semi-final against Celtic.

Failure to eliminate St Mirren in the original tie will certainly not prey on the Edinburgh team’s nerves tonight. They were 2-1 up and apparently cruising before a late own goal from Marius Zaliukas gave the Paisley side a reprieve but any fear that their chance of winning the tie has gone can easily be countered.

For one thing, Hearts were unable to beat St Johnstone at the first time of asking in the last round, but travelled to Perth and won the replay late into extra time, Zaliukas providing the winner. For another, they know that St Mirren had as good a chance to kill off the tie in the first half, when they might have scored several times, as Hearts themselves did in the second.

Victory in the derby has certainly put Sergio’s squad in a confident frame of mind, with the manager’s prime concern being the lack of time they have had to recover from that game.

“Victories always give you confidence and bring positive things,” said Sergio. “I believe we’re going to arrive there ready to fight to go through in the cup.

“We’re going into this game with 24 hours less to recover than our opponents. We have a reduced squad after January and we struggled when we had all those games, playing every three days. After that the performance and confidence returned and the results did too.”

Rudi Skacel and Stephen Elliott, who were both injured against Hibs, should be available tonight but Mehdi Taouil is a doubt because of a back strain.

The other uncertainty facing Sergio is whether to persist with Darren Barr at centre-back following his confident display in the derby, or to restore Zaliukas, who missed out on Sunday because of suspension.

The captain is likely to return alongside Andy Webster, but Barr is glad that he has at least given the manager something to think about. “At the end of the day I just have to knuckle down and play well,” he said. “I want to stay in the team and I feel I have done myself more justice in recent weeks – so we will wait and see what happens.

“The boys have done really well this year and it has been hard to break in because we have had quite a settled back four. We have competition for places but I am here to do my best and to try to stake my place in the team.”

Barr has struggled to get into the squad, never mind the starting line-up, during much of his time at Tynecastle but feels that, under Sergio, he has been given more of a chance.

“This manager has shown a bit more faith in me and I also feel I am showing a bit more confidence as well,” he added.

“I feel I have been much more around the squads and even on the bench. When I have come in I feel I have done quite well, regardless of whether it be left-back, right-back or anywhere. “He has shown faith, but I have probably shown a bit more faith in myself more than anything. I have a bit more confidence and I know it is up to me.”

St Mirren, too, will have a bit more confidence tonight than might have been expected of them when they visited Tynecastle. Back in January they left the ground on the wrong end of a 5-2 result in the league but showed far more spirit in the cup match to claim that draw.

Being unable to get into the top six, but free of the threat of relegation, St Mirren can throw everything into the replay. They know that their season will effectively be over if they lose, and Sergio expects them to be extremely tough opposition.

He said: “We’ve played them four times this season.We beat them twice and drew with them twice but, even when we beat them, it’s never been easy. I’m always saying it’s one of the teams that plays better football in this country, and I know that it’s going to be another challenge for us. But we’re ready to do our job.”

For the winners, the prize is not only that place in the semi-final, but also a chance to take issue with Celtic manager Neil Lennon’s assertion that the referee at Sunday’s League Cup final cost his team the treble when his denial of a late penalty claim helped Kilmarnock hang on for a 1-0 shock win. Some fans of Hibs and Aberdeen, who meet in the other semi-final, have already disputed the apparent presumption of Lennon’s remark that the Scottish Cup, as well as the league, was already in Celtic’s hands. Hearts and St Mirren supporters will no doubt be just as keen to contest that claim.

“We have great motivation, but the St Mirren players do too,” Sergio concluded. “Everybody is going to fight to be there.”

Taken from the Scotsman