Robbie Neilson on Regan Charles-Cook and Joseph Hungbo as Hearts prepare Ross County assault

Two successive Edinburgh derbies loom large on the horizon as Hearts players and officials gaze out at a potentially prosperous few weeks.
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Back-to-back meetings with Hibs could prove pivotal to finalising third place in the Premiership, securing European football and reaching the Scottish Cup final. However, all of that must wait for now. The most immediate task carries a lower profile but is no less significant.

Saturday’s trip to Ross County is the precursor to a colossal period for Hearts; the gateway to a season-defining month. After four wins and a draw from five games preceding the international break, the need to regain traction quickly is obvious. That means winning, or at the very least not losing, in Dingwall.

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The 14-point gap between Hearts in third spot and Dundee United in fourth underlines the progress made by Robbie Neilson’s side during the last 12 months. Still, this is no time to rest on laurels or indulge in complacency.

Joseph Hungbo celebrates after scoring for Ross County as Regan Charles-Cook and others arrive.Joseph Hungbo celebrates after scoring for Ross County as Regan Charles-Cook and others arrive.
Joseph Hungbo celebrates after scoring for Ross County as Regan Charles-Cook and others arrive.

The two forthcoming derbies are huge but no more so than the trip north. Entering the Hibs games in a positive frame of mind is a priority. Neilson is confident players won’t be distracted by assignments lying in wait against bigger rivals.

“Our focus has been on Ross County since we came back in so I don’t see it being a problem,” he told the Evening News. “We will take a couple of thousand fans up there, it will be a good atmosphere so I don’t think it will be an issue. The players know it’s always about the next game.

“We went up there earlier in the season and actually played really well. We went away with a 2-2 draw. County are obviously fighting for the top six now. From our perspective, we want to take momentum into the derby with Hibs next week. We had a number of good results during March, now we’re going into April and we want to start well.”

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Three wins from their last four matches mark Ross County out as an opponent in form. The upturn lifted them to seventh in the Premiership, where only four points separate fourth-placed United from Aberdeen in tenth.

Winger Regan Charles-Cook is the most apparent threat. The Premiership’s top goalscorer has 13 goals from 30 appearances this season. On the opposite flank, the on-loan Watford forward Joseph Hungbo contributed six goals and a number of assists.

“Charles-Cook has been scoring the goals but Hungbo is the one creating a lot of opportunities. Both of them are very dangerous,” said Neilson. “Plus you have the size and physicality of [striker] Jordan White so it’s a good combination they have in attack.

“The stats show that, outwith the top two, County are one of the best teams in the league along with us in terms of performance and results recently. They have some good attacking players who can cause a lot of teams problems.”

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Hearts aren’t short on them, either. Liam Boyce, Barrie McKay and Ellis Simms amount to a formidable forward line, while defensively players like Craig Gordon, Craig Halkett and Nathaniel Atkinson earned international recognition in the last fortnight.

Beni Baningime’s cruciate ligament injury ended his campaign prematurely, creating a notable void in midfield. Others like Peter Haring, Andy Halliday, Aaron McEneff and Cammy Devlin will get opportunities to help the Tynecastle club seize their destiny in the weeks ahead.

“We’ve obviously lost Beni which is quite a big blow for us but there’s nothing we can do about it,” said Neilson. “We just need to keep going, the boys have done well recently and I’m sure they will continue to do well.

“There are a number of boys who can play in that midfield role. It’s obviously disappointing to lose Beni but we have cover in there with players who can step in. Beni was out for eight weeks earlier in the season and other people got a good run of games.

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“We just need to keep the squad as strong as we can. The biggest thing over the last few days was making sure we got Halkett, Gordon and Atkinson through their international games. All three are fine and they are back in with us again.”

Seeing players called up by their respective nations gives Neilson a fair amount of satisfaction. It is further evidence of the progressive work taking place at Riccarton to help ensure Hearts fulfil their potential year after year.

“I’ve said before that I think Hearts should have a number of internationalists in their team. We should be at that level,” added the manager. “I was delighted for Nat getting his first cap with Australia.

“I watched some of the game and he did well. It was a difficult venue [in Saudi Arabia] and a disappointing result but Australia still have a chance to qualify. Hopefully he will be involved in the next squad as well.”

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Although Devlin and John Souttar are still rated touch-and-go for the semi-final and Baningime is out, Neilson refuses to become depressed by injuries to key players.

“There’s never a good time to get injuries but a lot of teams have had them throughout the season,” he said. “We had them in little periods as well. We dealt with it previously and we just need to deal with it again.

“We have good players to come in, guys who have played well whenever they got an opportunity. It’s just part of the game. You have to have a good squad and utilise it.”

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