Hearts entertain a Dundee side boosted by a midweek win in the William Hill Premiership which boosted their points tally to 19 from 15 matches.
Tony Docherty’s men earned three point from their 4-1 victory at Dens Park over Motherwell on Wednesday, a double from Lyall Cameron and singles from Oluwaseun Adewumi and Scott Tiffoney doing the damage.
Three of the strikes came in seven, second-half minutes after the sides were locked at 1-1 until the 60th minute and Dundee have so far won five of their league games, drawing four and losing six.
Docherty’s men have scored 27 goals and let in the same number and have won three of their last five, drawing another. The Dens Park side have won once away from home, drawing three other games.
Contrast that with the Jambos who have ten points from 15 outings, winning twice, drawing four of the other games, and losing nine. Neil Critchley’s men have scored only 16 goals, the same as Kilmarnock – only eighth-placed Ross County have scored less, 12 in total – and they have conceded 25.
Three defeats have come in their last five games, winning once, and Andrew McKinlay, Hearts’ chief executive, admitted his concern to the media after the club’s annual meeting this week.
Jambos fans have only seen their side win once at home in the league this season and they have drawn three but McKinlay is hopeful that the next seven league fixtures will allow Hearts to earn valuable points to lift them up the 12-strong table. Four of the games (v Dundee, St Johnstone, Hibs and Motherwell) are at Tynecastle, starting on Saturday (15.00).
FLASHBACK: Neil Critchley arrives at Hearts s the new head coach, but points have been hard to achieve in the Premiership. Picture by Nigel Duncan
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
