ROBBIE Neilson, the Hearts manager, is challenging his injury-ravaged squad to leapfrog rivals Hibernian and reclaim third place in the Premiership before the World Cup break.
First-half goals from Lawrence Shankland and Andy Halliday secured a 2-1 triumph away to Ross County and lifted Neilson’s team back into the top six, three days after a European Conference League victory over Latvians RFS.
That campaign may now be dead in the water and has, unquestionably, degraded Hearts’ strength as a squad with injuries and exhaustion unavoidable.
But having secured back-to-back wins for only the second time this season, Neilson was upbeat and focused on immediate challenges in the league.
Hearts sit three points behind their great rivals with a game in hand after last night’s Dingwall exploits. They now face a quality side in Basaksehir away on Thursday with nothing left but pride to fight for in the European Conference League.
Then they will tackle Motherwell at home, Rangers away and Livingston at home before the winter break, with Neilson stressing: “Our objective is to get into that third position ahead of the World Cup and, if we can do that then it will be absolutely outstanding because at that point we will start to get others back.
“Third is where we want to be and we have another game next week.
“Depending on what happens at Pittodrie on Friday night we could potentially have the chance to move back into third.
“With all these games and injuries it is about getting to the World Cup break in the best place possible. Then I would expect us to kick on.
“Our objective is to get third place in the league. We want European football and if we want that then we have to balance that with playing in Europe on a Thursday night.”
Turks Basaksehir proved their quality in the first leg, winning 4-0 at Tynecastle and Neilson added: “They’re a tough team to play against and that is why we have to go full strength. If we don’t then we are in trouble.
“We will see who is available and put the strongest team out.
“There is no pressure on us, it is just a case of can we go out there and take the ball, pass the ball and work hard to stay tight defensively. We need to try to go and enjoy the game.”
The Staggies remained anchored to bottom spot in the league on goal difference but, again, would have been buoyed by some fine attacking play, undone by mistakes.
County manager Malky Mackay believes his team are capable of moving off the bottom of the table.
“I asked for us at half-time to come out and go again because over the piece in the first half we did,” said Mackay.
“Second half I can’t ask for more because to dominate the ball and have as many shots against a good team, the only thing I can ask for is finding the net.
“We are playing against one of the top teams in the league, to dominate and have Hearts penned in shows me we have a group that are getting it.
“We just need to put points on the board, but we are as good as five teams in the league.”
