Hearts cup tie date moved; Smith and Mitchell injury blows

The SFA confirmed today that Hearts William Hill Scottish
Cup quarter final against Partick Thistle at Firhill will be played on the evening
of Monday 4^th March with a 7.05pm kick-off.

The game will be broadcast live on BBC Scotland. The fixture
change will come as a disappointment for many Hearts fans, especially schoolchildren,
who might not be able to attend a Monday night tie. Hearts have been allocated
2,200 tickets.

Hibernian’s quarter final tie with Celtic at Easter Road
will kick off at 5.15pm on Saturday 2^nd March and will be broadcast live
on Premier Sports.

The full Scottish Cup quarter-final schedule is

Saturday 2 March: Hibernian v
Celtic5.15pm

Sunday 3 March: Aberdeen v
Kilmarnock or Rangers 1.30pm

Sunday 3 March; Dundee United v
Ross County or Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3.30pm

Monday 4 March: Partick Thistle
v Heart of Midlothian 7.05pm

Hearts fans were dealt more disappointing news when it was
confirmed defenders Michael Smith and Demetri Mitchell will be side-lined by
injury for the next few weeks. Smith has a torn muscle in his thigh and has
damaged a tendon. Mitchell has damaged the lateral meniscus in his knee.

Hearts manager Craig Levein told the official Hearts website:

 “We have Marcus Godinho and Jamie Brandon back and they have both played and played well,” he said. “I have been pleased with Marcus when he has played so I have no complaints there.

“With Demi it was innocuous, it was his standing leg and it was just the way he twisted after he shot.

“But we have Jake Mulraney and Bobby Burns who can play there as well.”