Hearts and Hibs youngsters to go head-to-head on BBC tonight in Scottish Championship clash

A number of Hearts and Hibs youngsters will be in action at Somerset Park. | SNS Group

Scottish Championship promotion hopefuls Ayr United and Airdrie will meet tonight in front of the BBC cameras in a game which offers eagle eyed Hearts and Hibs fans the perfect chance to watch some of their youngsters in action.

Hearts goalkeeper Harry Stone made the loan move to Somerset Park this summer with the hope of one day progressing into the Jambos first team squad. Stone, who signed a contract extension until the summer of 2025 in January, enjoyed a successful time in the Lowland League with Hearts B during season 2022/23 season and has also earned experience at Stirling Albion, Albion Rovers and Partick Thistle and Queen of the South.

He enjoyed a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over newly promoted Hamilton on the opening day and has been on the winning team in three of the four Scottish League Cup games that he has been involved with.

Elsewhere, Airdrie have Hibs loanee Murray Johnson between the posts. Johnson signed his first professional contract at Easter Road in 2021 and is hoping to one day become a starter for his local club.

This move marks his second loan stint at Airdrie where in 2022 he won the club’s Player of the Month award. He kicked off the league season with a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over last year’s runners-up Raith Rovers and has also tasted victory in one of his two League Cup outings.

Airdrie could also opt to play fellow Hibs loanee Murray Aiken this evening. The 19-year-old played 12 times for the Diamonds in a loan spell last season before sustaining a serious injury but now finds himself back in the fold after agreeing to return on loan this summer.

Ayr United won 2-1 in the last league meeting between the two sides on 29 March and finished the season in seventh spot last time out. Airdrie finished last term in fourth spot but were denied promotion after defeat in the play-offs.

Coverage of the game at Somerset Park will be provided by BBC Scotland and the match itself will get underway at 7.45pm.