Locke urges Black to learn from red card

Hearts coach Gary Locke is hoping Ian Black will learn his lesson after the combative midfielder was hit with a three-game ban following his sending off in last weekend’s home defeat to Kilmarnock.

Black, who was also sent off in a defeat to Motherwell in August, was red-carded 16 minutes into the game for a crunching tackle on Dean Shiels, with the Rugby Park outfit going on to win through a penalty from the former Hibs player.

Black misses this weekend’s trip to St Mirren as well as clashes with Dundee United and Inverness and Locke admits the 26-year-old needs to keep his cool on the pitch. He said: “It was disappointing, it was a late tackle from Blackie and hopefully he will learn from it and not dive in again.

“If we had played the majority of the game with everyone on the pitch, we could have won the game. Even with ten men I felt we were the better side and created the chances, and on another day we could have scored two or three goals.”

Danny Grainger received a two-match ban after television footage emerged following the Kilmarnock game of the left-back stamping on Shiels.

Locke added: “It’s a headache but we’ll sit down and discuss what we’re going to do. We have a big squad here, with Blackie being suspended as well it’s a chance for someone to take his place and, if they do well, they’ll remain in the team.”