Thursday, April 18, 2024
SportScottish PremiershipHearts boss delighted with goals scored - but admits they need to...

Hearts boss delighted with goals scored – but admits they need to work on keeping them out

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Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson admits he is delighted with his side’s attacking threat – but insists they must learn to be more solid at the other end.

The Tynecsatle outfit came from two goals down to pick up a point in Monday’s compelling 3-3 draw at Hamilton.

But Hearts have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four winless matches, conceding ten goals in the process.

robbieneilsonNeilson’s team, who also drew 3-3 at Inverness last month, are the second highest scorers in the Premiership behind leaders Celtic, having netted 24 times.

A run of three scoring draws has seen the Gorgie side drop to fourth in the Premiership and with Motherwell the visitors on Saturday, Neilson is hoping they can discover a winning formula.

He said: “The positive thing is that we’re scoring goals and picking up points, we just need to stop conceding goals.

“We showed great spirit to come back at Hamilton and it was similar to Inverness that we battled back from two goals down to get a point out of it.

“We’re definitely an entertaining team that is for sure, there’s not a lot of nil-nil draws going about at the moment but we shouldn’t be going away to places likes Inverness and Hamilton, scoring three goals and only coming away with one point.

“That’s the disappointing thing but it’s just the little details – the decision making when we do things.

“We’re a young team and we’re learning, getting experience. The thing is that there is fight there and they believe each other.”

Scotland internationalist Callum Paterson netted a late equaliser on Monday for the second game running after also scoring late in the recent 2-2 draw at home to St Johnstone.

The defender now has six for the campaign and Neilson admits he is delighted with his contribution in the opposition box.

He added: “We moved him forward a bit when we went 3-1 down and we changed the shape a little bit to try and get back in it.

“He gave us that energy down the right-hand side, we pushed him up and he’s always a goal threat. He’s a great finisher.”

Neilson insists his team will welcome the return to home comforts against the Steelmen this weekend after struggling against Accies on their artificial grass.

He added: “It’s one of the toughest places to go to with the surface, they’re used to it and they train on it; the way it runs, the way it bobbles and the way it bounces.

“It will be a totally different game on Saturday, the players are back on the grass back at Tynecastle, the players will be ready for it and we’re looking forward to it.”

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