FOLLOW US ON TWITTER | FACEBOOK
Hearts manager Craig Levein has urged the the club’s supporters to stick by the team as they attempt to end a barren five-game winless run.
The Gorgie outfit did everything but score in the weekend’s stalemate at home to Ross County, registering some 23 attempts at goal compared to the Staggies’ five.
Isma Goncalves was among the Hearts players who endured a frustrating afternoon after missing gilt-edged chances.
The County clash was the second of six straight matches at the redeveloped Tynecastle and Levein insists support from the stands can help the team get their season back on track.
Levein, whose side host Hamilton at the weekend, said: “Our supporters will be really disappointed but I’m sure they went home and saw that the players did absolutely everything they could effort-wise to win the match.
“I didn’t hear (Hearts fans booing at the end). When I was walking across the pitch I heard a lot of people applauding and they recognised the efforts the players put in to win.
“We missed loads of chances, that’s why it wasn’t our day – we missed some sitters.
“When things are all going well, these chances all go in and we win that game, I don’t know what the score would have been but it would have been a lot of goals.
“But it’s tough just now and we need to stick together and keep putting on performances like that.
“We need the supporters to stick with us, I think they will.
“They saw that the players were determined to win the game. Things didn’t go for us and in football that can happen – but things will turn.”
Hearts have the third worst goal scoring record in the top-flight having only found the net 12 times in 15 games and Levein hopes attacking drills in training can help the players rectify their woes in the final third.
He added: “We’ve got guys who are good finishers who put the ball in the net in training. There’s some nervousness, I get that, but we work on our finishing, on putting the ball into the box in training.
“I’ve been here before, when you’re playing well and not winning is the worst combination, but I’m convinced the goals will start to come and then it will be easier.
“I’ve told them that they need to keep going, they need to do the same against Hamilton and things will start to get easier once we get goals.
“The result is the most important thing but I thought our performance was fantastic and that’s the type of performance I want to put on here at Tynecastle and in every match.
“We played some great football but it just wasn’t our day.”
Levein, meanwhile, admitted that defender Aaron Hughes was replaced at half-time against the Staggies as a pre-caution due to a calf complaint.
The vastly experienced Northern Ireland internationalist has only been able to make six league start this season due to the niggling injury.
Levein added: “Aaron was feeling his calf at half-time, which is unfortunate. We took him off as a pre-caution.”
