Hearts explain four player absences after relegating St Johnstone.
Liam Fox was without established players for Tynecastle’s final Premiership game of the season. Blair Spittal, Craig Gordon, Kenneth Vargas, and James Penrice all missed Hearts’ 2-1 victory over St Johnstone at Tynecastle Park, which hosted the last Scottish Premiership match of the season. At halftime, the hosts led 2-0 thanks to a Barry Douglas own goal and an Alan Forrest score, before St Johnstone’s Graham Carey cut the lead in half. They were unable to force an equaliser and were officially demoted from Scotland’s top division at full time. Since the Edinburgh club fired Neil Critchley last month, interim head coach Liam Fox has led Hearts to three wins in three games. Forrest has scored in each of the three matches, but Spittal, Gordon, and Vargas are absent through injury. Penrice was not risked to avoid a possible suspension.
Hearts travel to Kilmarnock on Sunday, but Derek McInnes will not make his final appearance at Rugby Park as he prepares to take over as head coach in Gorgie. “I don’t think we’ll have Craig, Kenny Vargas or Blair Spittal back for Sunday,” Fox told reporters. “So we’ll probably go with the same gang again. So we’ll get them rested and recovered, and we’ll prepare for a tough game.
“Penrice is one booking away from receiving a two-game suspension. He’s been walking that tightrope for a while, and I simply thought tonight was the appropriate time to take him out and give Harry Milne a chance, which he completely took and gave us all something to think about.
Read more on sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply