Hearts vs Raith Rovers preview - Hearts missing trio

Posted Saturday, April 18, 2015 by PA

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson will be without three of his first-team players for Saturday's Championship match against Raith Rovers at Tynecastle.

Adam Eckersley will miss the visit of the Kirkcaldy side, and the following game against Cowdenbeath, after the Gorgie club accepted the offer of a two-game ban for headbutting Hibernian's Scott Allan in Sunday's Edinburgh derby.

Having already clinched the title, Neilson has taken the opportunity to treat the respective injuries of goalkeeper Neil Alexander and forward Billy King, and they are ruled out for the rest of the season.

Former Hearts midfielder Liam Fox is available for the Kirkcaldy side after serving a two-game ban and manager Grant Murray can also call on on-loan midfielder Barrie McKay who was not allowed to feature against parent club Rangers in the 4-0 defeat last Sunday.

Murray said: "Our season has taken a bit of a dip recently and we want to get it going again. We have to make sure we start well as we lost a poor goal early on against Rangers and that put us up against things.

"Our games with Hearts have been tight all season and I am sure this one will be as well."