Hearts’ Jason Holt fighting injury

JASON HOLT is striving to overcome an ankle knock in time for Hearts’ league visit to Dundee United on Saturday. The midfielder sustained the injury during a Scotland Under-21 training session at Dumbarton on Monday and has returned to Riccarton to have it assessed.

Initial indications are that the problem is not overly serious. Holt withdrew from Scotland’s under-21 friendly with Greece as a precaution and is now attempting to shake off the knock to keep his place in the Hearts team for the weekend trip to Tannadice. The 19-year-old has started the club’s last four matches following the winter break and is one of a host of teenagers currently impressing at first-team level.

Hearts manager John McGlynn is monitoring the situation closely. He has Scott Robinson available again on Saturday following a suspension, with Darren Barr and Dylan McGowan also able to step in to midfield should Holt be 
declared unfit.

McGlynn today praised the contribution of teenage winger Jamie Walker, who scored his first senior goal in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Ross County. “I think he’s the type of player who likes confidence to boost his game. Goals can only boost your confidence so that will help him no end,” said McGlynn. “Jamie scored a hat-trick against Motherwell in an under-20 game in November. We put him into the team hoping he would get goals because he has got goals in him. The more players we have scoring goals, the better, because it takes the pressure off one individual if we have many players scoring.

“You don’t need to be 6ft 5in to score from a header or a cross. Jamie got in front of the Ross County defender and got his header in and it was a good goal.”