9am Briefing: Wallace says Hearts can secure spot in Europe

Saturday's home win over Kilmarnock secured a top-six spot for Jim Jefferies' Jambos.

They now trail Hibs by six points and are four behind Motherwell ahead of tonight's meeting with Celtic.

Full-back Wallace feels both can be caught and said: "We need to be positive. We've got into the top six and now it's about finishing as high as we can. You must set high standards and Hearts do – it's a huge club.

"Fourth IS achievable so our aim is to keep winning and we are confident we can."

"We've not been the best this season, but we have hit the top six again and that is an achievement, not just for the manager but for the team."

Anger at Motherwell fixtures

MOTHERWELL are considering "all avenues of protest" over their final Clydesdale Bank Premier League fixtures after being handed an extra away game against Celtic.

The Lanarkshire club will have played 20 away fixtures and 18 home games over the course of the season after they defied the SPL's expectations and qualified for the top six.

Motherwell have been given a third away clash against Celtic on 1 May, meaning they lose the financial advantage of a home game against the Old Firm in the final five matches.

After an emergency board meeting , chief executive Leeann Dempster said: "The board of Motherwell FC are deeply concerned about the outcome of the post-split fixtures and its implication for the sporting and financial position of the club. All avenues of protest will be considered."

St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour has also hit out over the fixtures, branding a "disgrace" the decision to send his team to relegation rivals Falkirk for the third time.

The structure of the league is under review after chief executive Neil Doncaster raised the prospect of an expanded division.

Murray coy over Davis Cup

ANDY MURRAY has told new Davis Cup captain Leon Smith that the pair's close relationship will not mean he is more likely to represent his country against Turkey in July.

Smith was yesterday named as the replacement for John Lloyd, who resigned following a fifth consecutive defeat against Lithuania last month.

Murray chose to miss that match and said he would decide whether to play Davis Cup on a match-by-match basis.

And the world No 4 insists that is still the case despite the appointment of Smith, who coached Murray during his junior career, as captain and head of men's tennis.

"Leon's my friend but I need to still do what's right for me," said his fellow Scot. "If I want to play, I'm playing for the team, it's not that I'm playing because Leon's the captain.

"I hope that was not the reason why he became captain. I don't think that's the way to make a decision on something as big as this.

"I'll have to wait and see come July. But, again, it's a tie that I feel we should be able to win, even if I don't play."