Lawrence Shankland hoping for more of the same from miserly Hearts defence

Hearts want to keep their run going against Staggies

Lawrence Shankland is hoping defiant Hearts can keep churning out the clean sheets that he feels have been crucial to their recent run of victories.

The Jambos go into Saturday’s Tynecastle clash with Ross County two points clear in third place with a game in hand over nearest challengers Kilmarnock after winning seven of their last nine cinch Premiership matches. Aside from Scotland forward Shankland, who is the top scorer in the division, Hearts have found goals hard to come by this term. However, their rise up the table has been underpinned by 10 shut-outs in their 19 league matches so far, including each of their last three.

“The defence is doing really well, but that comes as a whole,” said Shankland. “Defending set-plays when you are asked, defending balls into the box, we’ve done really well. We can be proud of that and we’re looking to keep going with it.”

Hearts' Lawrence Shankland celebrates with Barrie McKay and Kye Rowles after making it 1-0 during a cinch Premiership match between Hibernian and Heart of Midlothian at Easter Road, on December 27, 2023, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Hearts’ latest clean sheet owed plenty to an excellent penalty save by goalkeeper Zander Clark to deny Hibs forward Martin Boyle as the Jambos pulled off a 1-0 win away to their city rivals on Wednesday. Shankland feels Clark deserves credit for the way he has stuck to his task in recent weeks despite the pressure of having Craig Gordon – who was number one for Hearts and Scotland prior to the double leg-break he suffered a year ago – back fit and available for selection.

“Huge credit goes to him,” said Shankland. “I feel he’s had a wee bit of stick here and there, and I don’t know if he deserved it, all in all. He’s had a lot of clean sheets in there and he’s produced big moments It’s not easy when you are playing in a team and you have Craig Gordon – an international goalie, a top goalie for Hearts – coming back from injury. It’s not easy to play with that pressure but I think he has handled it really well. He’s got Scotland games recently and I’m delighted for him.”