Everyone who watched the embarrassing antics in front of the Cooper Stand on Sunday will be aware that our hopes for the rest of the season will be boosted if John Ruddy and Steven Craigan can be restored to the team. John Porteous and his back room staff will earn the grateful thanks of every ‘Well fan if that pair are able to take their starting positions at Tynecastle on Saturday.
This one was palmed to safety
We have avoided any real injury crisis for most of the season and can be thankful that our small squad has not had to be tested too often. The consistency of selection that has been available to our new management team since the start of the year delivered a solid platform for the run of twelve SPL games without defeat that stretched from the New Year until mid-March. During that golden run we conceded only two goals. In the four losses since then we have shipped nine.
Our rivals for the last Europa league place (assuming that United win the cup) are Hearts. Their remaining fixtures are Motherwell (h), Hibs(a), Dundee United (h) and Celtic (h). We lead them by four points and have a much better goal difference. They have three games at home while we have only one – Hibs on election night. This weekend’s game in Edinburgh would seem to be crucial. A win for either team could be decisive while we might be the more likely to settle for a draw.
If United are to crumble to Ross County at Hampden then it could be more than a new government that is decided on May 6. Hibs lead us by two points at the moment and their faltering form will give us hope that they can still be caught. It’s all coming to an exciting climax. Who says that the split has to go?