Sean Clare '˜had nothing to prove' says Hearts coach

Jon Daly insists Sean Clare did not need to prove anything to the Hearts management team after the player broke his goalscoring duck to secure a Scottish Cup win over Livingston.

Sean Clare celebrates giving Hearts the lead. Picture: SNS

Clare, pictured, was signed in September but has taken time to adapt to the demands of the Scottish game. First-team coach Daly revealed Clare was the target for some vocal criticism from Hearts coach Liam Fox at half-time yesterday. The attacking midfielder reacted in the right manner to score what proved the winner three minutes into the second half in his 14th appearance for the team.

“Sean was slack and Foxy had a little pop at him and it’s great when you get a reaction from that,” said Daly.

“Foxy was a midfield player when he played and he understands the role quite well. So he had a nibble at him and asked when we would see something from him and he’s got the reaction he wanted.

“To be fair to Sean, when he first signed, he wasn’t 100 per cent fit, he had an issue with his foot.

“He has probably played a lot more than we would have liked so far, he’s been thrown into situations he wouldn’t have been had we had a fully-fit squad. And I think he is starting to look better and stronger.

“I don’t think the jury’s out in terms of ourselves,” he added. “We believe in him and know the qualities he has. He’s a young player and he is still learning the game. He is still getting used to Scottish football and the club. I think it’s important we stick by him and give him opportunities so he can repay us like today.”