'Secure third spot, then aim higher,' Jefferies tells players

JIM Jefferies has challenged his side to wrap up third place in the league as soon as possible and then train their sights on whoever lies ahead.

Another win at Tynecastle saw the team move 18 points clear of fourth-place Kilmarnock, but the Hearts manager says they have to keep setting targets and not relax.

"We have said all along that we set out at the start of the season to compete for third place and I feel we are only two or three wins away from that and while we are not there yet, if we were to get them quickly then we can see where we are. We are going to make ground on somebody tomorrow and then people will start shouting about us challenging for second place again but first we have to get this third place won and then we can have a go knowing that we have already had a good season.

"By then we will have the likes of (Andrew] Driver back in and wee Temps (David Templeton] on his second half showing today proved he is over his tough patch. If we have all these back then we can have a go but that's all we can do."

"We have three tough games to come," said match-winner Marius Zaliukas of fixtures against Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Dundee United. "We want seven or maybe five points from those and if we can then I think we will be safe in third."

The defeat was a cruel blow to United manager Peter Houston who also faces at least three weeks without Garry Kenneth after his only regular centre-back hobbled off with a strained medial ligament in his knee. That could rule him out for six matches, including the Scottish Cup tie against Motherwell.

Describing the defeat as "gut-wrenching" after squandering the early lead, he dismissed suggestions that David Goodwillie struggled after being subjected to unrelenting abuse from the home crowd. The striker, who missed the injury-time penalty, is facing rape charges but his manager said the situation has not affected his game. "Is that why he missed the penalty? No, I don't think it is. Yes, he took a lot of stick but he has got to expect that from every fan in Scotland. But he was brave enough to take the penalty and it's not the first one he has missed."