Jefferies expects stern test for Hearts

Manager Jim Jefferies anticipates his injury-ravaged Hearts squad will face a stern test in Saturday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash at Inverness. Hearts travel to the Caledonian Stadium off the back of a 3-0 loss at Celtic and minus the services of club captain Marius Zaliukas, Scotland international Lee Wallace (both knee), Dawid Kucharski (calf), Andrew Driver (knee) and Stephen Elliott (hamstring). Rudi Skacel, who re-signed for the club Thursday, is not expected to be fit to play. Jefferies has been impressed with how Caley Thistle have performed on their return to the top flight and said: "You've got to give them great credit." He added: "All you need to do is ask some of the clubs in the First Division now, like Dunfermline, Dundee, Partick, how difficult it is to come back. "To bounce back in the first season shows tremendous motivation. They would've been on a great downer, so to pick them up they've done a fantastic job. "They've brought in two or three decent players. They're a decent side who all work hard for each other." And Jefferies does not expect Inverness to be at the foot of the table come the season's end. "Maybe the experience of going down is going to act as a spur," he said. "They're a decent side and I don't expect them to be struggling near the bottom like some people predicted."

Source: PA