Hearts' Black facing two-game ban

HEARTS midfielder Ian Black will miss the club's forthcoming matches against Aberdeen and Kilmarnock after incurring a two-game SFA suspension.

A seventh caution of the season against Hamilton at New Douglas Park on Saturday saw the 25-year-old breach the 18-point disciplinary threshold and he is now precluded from the trip to Pittodrie on Saturday, February 26, and the following weekend's home encounter with Kilmarnock.

Former Inverness player Black is available this Saturday when Dundee United visit Tynecastle as his suspension does not begin until the following week.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies has utilised the player regularly this season in his favoured central midfield role and been rewarded with some sterling displays.

Despite Black's absence, Jefferies feels his squad remains strong enough to cope without some of the team's established names.

"It's a long season and I told the players I could look at any team out of the squad and it would not be any weaker than the other," said Jefferies.

"We had a bit of a freshness (on Saturday] so that showed that whatever team I put out, it does not weaken it in any way.

"It's a good thing and it means they just have to accept that this is a big pool, a strong pool and not everyone can play all the games.

"Some of the guys we left out against Hamilton have been playing a lot of games and a little freshness helps."

Meanwhile, Hearts' Australian youngster Matthew Park has joined John Robertson at East Fife on an emergency three-month loan.