Hearts v Livingston: Preview

Last updated : 03 March 2005 By Dov

The Tynecastle side were eliminated from the CIS Cup earlier this month in a 3-2 defeat to Motherwell at Easter Road.


Scotland defender Webster concedes he and his team-mates are still hurting from that loss but claims the perfect antidote is to reach the end-of-season showpiece.

Livingston stand in Hearts' way of a place in the last four of the Scottish Cup and Webster admits he and his team-mates are doubly determined to go all the way in the competition.

He said: "I think there is a determination to go and do one better after we got knocked out in the semi-finals of the CIS Cup.


"It was a big disappointment, I don't think we can argue with the result because we didn't perform particularly well.


"The semi-finals are the worst time to get knocked out though.

"You want to be in the final challenging for medals and that defeat does still hurt in the back of your mind.


"However, it's time to move on and win the next match, there is no point in dwelling on the past, you can't influence or change anything that's in the past."

Meanwhile, Hearts manager John Robertson insists the fact Livingston are bottom of the SPL will have little bearing on the outcome of the tie.

And he has warned his players to show Richard Gough's side the utmost respect as he sets about trying to emulate the club's 1998 Scottish Cup triumph.


He said: "Livingston will see this as a great opportunity to get to the semi-final, their league form means nothing.


"We are not taking anything for granted, it will be a really hard game.

"We have been to one semi-final already this season but we want to get into finals, we want to win trophies.


"It would be a tremendous honour to take this club to Hampden, a tremendous honour to win it.


"But you have to work hard and you have to go out and earn it, that's what we want to do."


Hearts will be without suspended captain Steven Pressley, although fellow Scotland international Andy Webster is now free from a ban.


Patrick Kisnorbo (knee) and Michael Stewart (groin) remain sidelined.

Livingston manager Richard Gough insists survival in the Bank of Scotland Premier League remains his priority despite the tantalising prospect of a Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final spot.


The struggling West Lothian side travel to Gorgie knowing a win over Robertson's side would take them into the last four of a tournament the Almondvale club have yet to win.


However, Gough's side remain adrift at the bottom of the SPL and although his men will be going all out for cup glory, the former Scotland defender will not be deflected from his main aim this season.


He said: "We'll be going for the win against Hearts. You only get one bite at the cherry and so we want to win and take what we get in the semi-final.


"I'll be impressing on the players that it is only two games away from the final. We've had home games against Morton and Alloa but you're always likely to get a difficult draw at some point. But we've got every chance.


"But I'm still more concerned about the league. The cup is a bonus and it might kick start our league campaign and give us some confidence ahead of the SPL game against Kilmarnock next Wednesday night.


"The next three league games are going to be vitally important. We've got Kilmarnock, Dundee and Motherwell and it's the old clichi, we'll take each game as it comes."


There has been little for Gough or his players to smile about in recent months, the Almondvale side failing to win any of their last nine league games, losing eight of them, and Livi have already been written off in some quarters as relegation certainties.


However, the Almondvale manager insists the doom and gloom surrounding Livingston has only served to focus the players' attentions in turning their season around, starting with the trip to Gorgie.


He said: "It hasn't been difficult to lift them at all this week. We've all taken a bit of criticism in recent weeks but that will make them more determined to prove people wrong and as I've said to them you the best place to do your talking is on the pitch."


Defender Oscar Rubio misses the trip to Tynecastle through suspension.

Hearts
Tennents Scottish Cup Form
Last 10:wdwd
Last 5 home:dw
Last 5 away:wd
Livingston
Tennents Scottish Cup Form
Last 10:ww
Last 5 home:w
Last 5 away:w

Hearts
Tennents Scottish Cup Top Scorers
Lee Miller2
Dennis Wyness2
Deividas Cesnauskis1
Lee Wallace1
Neil MacFarlane1
Livingston
Tennents Scottish Cup Top Scorers
Oscar Rubio1
Colin McMenamin1
Robert Snodgrass1

Hearts
Tennents Scottish Cup Results
Jan. 8at Partick0 - 0
Jan. 19v Partick2 - 1
Feb. 5v Kilmarnock2 - 2
Feb. 16at Kilmarnock1 - 3
Feb. 26v LivingstonP - P
Feb. 27v Livingston-
Livingston
Tennents Scottish Cup Results
Jan. 8v MortonP - P
Jan. 11v Morton2 - 1
Feb. 5at Alloa0 - 1
Feb. 26at HeartsP - P
Feb. 27at Hearts-

* goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for away club