Source: FOOTYMAD
Not the best way to head into European game
Sunday was a reminder that there are no easy games and everybody has to stick to their jobs to get the right results Jim Jefferies is confident Hearts can forget all about Sunday's defeat to Dundee United and qualify for the Europa League play-off round on Thursday. Dundee United were 1-0 winners at Tynecastle But Hearts have an away goal to build on from the first leg against Hungary's Paks. Jefferies said: "Thursday will look after itself. We'll be up for it, it's a different thing altogether. We've gone and done the first part over there. We've kept the tie very much alive and we hope to go and finish it off. If we go and do the thing right and get through then it will give us a big lift for the next league game." Hearts could be given a boost ahead of the tie with Jefferies announcing that midfielder Rudi Skacel is in contract negotiations, with his current deal set to expire in the very near future. United were missing David Goodwillie, who is poised to move to Blackburn. That did not seem to affect them when Jon Daly was left unmarked as he nodded in Willo Flood's 38th-minute corner. Marius Zaliukas accepted responsibility for the set-piece failings in Hearts' defence. Jefferies added: "You can't give Jon Daly that kind of room and expect to get away with it." United manager Peter Houston felt his side were worth the three points. He said: "It was a hard-fought three points, but I thought fully merited. We had good chances in the first half - possibly a penalty, we hit the bar, Jon Daly brought a world-class save from their goalkeeper and we scored a goal. When you come to Tynecastle sometimes in 90 minutes you don't create as many chances." Daly felt United proved there is life after Goodwillie, who could complete his move to Rovers today. The Irishman said: "He's a great player, but one player's not going to make a team. We knew we could cope without him. He has great ability and all the attributes to go on and play at the highest level. I think he will go down there, score goals and cause problems."
