Hearts winger Andy Driver praying for no more false dawns

The Hearts winger is eager to erase the misery of two injury-interrupted years and made an impressive start by lashing the third goal in Thursday's 4-1 Europa League defeat of Paksi. That match signalled his first appearance of the campaign, something he is determined to build upon after just 28 competitive outings in the last two seasons. Thigh and hernia injuries have plagued Driver mercilessly to the point where he has found himself on the periphery of the Hearts squad, feeling more familiar with gym equipment and treatment tables than free-kick routines and penalty-box tricks.

He accepts a portion of the responsibility himself, admitting to returning too quickly in the past following injury problems. This time patience paid off. With the arrival of Paulo Sergio as manager, he was asked to start against Paksi. It wasn't a question the Portuguese needed to repeat. Driver, 23, now wants to re-establish himself as a first-team regular and remind Tynecastle supporters of his value to the club, starting tomorrow at Fir Park. "I haven't done myself any favours in the last two years by coming back a bit too early," said the player. "This time, although Thursday was a little early, I feel I've got myself to a level of fitness where I'm strong. I've done a lot of work in the gym and I can get myself through this.

"My number one aim this season is to get plenty games under my belt. I want the team to do well and I want to perform every week, but for me I have to stay injury-free. That's what's best for the team and for my career. I feel I've got myself a base of fitness now. It came as a bit of a surprise that I was playing on Thursday. We got told the team the day before the game and we worked on shape. I had a bounce game on Tuesday (against Dunfermline at Riccarton) and came through that fine but it's been a slow process and a long process getting back from all the injuries I've had. I had a few reservations about playing but you can't pass up an opportunity like that. As a footballer, nights like Thursday are what you live for.

"To get a goal out of it was a great feeling. It's good to be back. The nerves were there in the build-up to the game because it's been a while. I'm delighted to get through and to score. It was probably one of the best goals of my career so far and the atmosphere was amazing because it was nearly a full house."

Driver smiles when asked if his satisfaction is rooted in the fact he scored with his weaker right foot. "I'm right-footed now," he laughed. "I had that hernia on my left last year so I had to keep kicking with my right. It was just a great feeling. Personally, the game didn't go as well for me as I'd hoped but getting the goal just wiped all that out. I'll only remember the goal now. I was heavy-legged a bit towards the end but it was just strange having people all around you all the time and having no time on the ball. You get more time on the ball in bounce games and that was the biggest shock for me playing in the first team again. I gave the ball away a few times but I've just got to learn the football again.

I haven't played much in two years so it's about starting again from the beginning, and hopefully scoring a few more goals. I've worked very hard with the physios over the last year. It's been a hard time. I didn't play in the pre-season games but I have been working very hard with the sports scientist. I do feel, within myself, that I'm getting a lot stronger. I played on Tuesday and then again on Thursday. Last season, I'd never have been able to play again two days after a game. I take the positives out of that. Obviously you get aches and pains but I'm feeling a lot better about myself than I have done for a long time."

Driver acknowledged the difficulties awaiting Hearts in Lanarkshire. The Edinburgh club have recorded only one victory at Fir Park in the last three-and-a-half years and, under Stuart McCall, Motherwell have begun the new season at notable pace. Ahead of today's fixtures, they sat top of the SPL on goal difference after beating Inverness and drawing with Kilmarnock. "Motherwell is another big game," said Driver. "We haven't started the league season as well as we could have so we need a win. Fir Park will be a lot harder than it was on Thursday night, we aren't going to get any time on the ball there. We've got to prepare for that. Motherwell's good start adds even more incentive. We played well against Rangers but the Dundee United game took us back a step. I've heard reports that Motherwell have been playing well so we will need to be on top of our game to get anything."

Confidence is high at Riccarton following Sergio's managerial debut. The Portuguese now takes an SPL bow having already imparted some of his continental mentality to the Hearts players. "The biggest difference so far is probably the shape of the team. The new manager has a European style," said Driver. "We've had these European-style managers before. The new man has come in and worked on shape for a few days. Obviously we haven't had a lot of time to work with him and I don't know what his training is going to be like. Over the first few days he's got the team working together. He's a guy who loves football and he's got that across already.

"As you've seen with other Portuguese managers, they have a style of getting teams together and getting team spirit high. I think that has been one of the points he's tried to get across so far. The SPL is a difficult league but I think he is well aware of that. He's said that SPL games are going to be different so we'll see what style he wants tomorrow."