Callachan salutes Hearts for keeping it clean

MIDFIELDER Ross Callachan praised the frugal Hearts defence after yet another clean sheet underpinned their 3-0 Ladbrokes Premiership win at Hamilton on Wednesday night.

It was the eighth match in a row in which the opposition failed to breach the Gorgie rearguard as the Tynecastle side extended their unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions.

Callachan tapped in a Steven Naismith pass in the 66th minute with further goals from substitutes David Milinkovic and Dario Zanatta giving Craig Levein’s fifth-placed side all three points.

“The guys have been great,” said the 24-year-old, signed from Raith Rovers last August and who scored his first Hearts goal at Hamilton the following month.

“That’s eight clean sheets on the bounce and long may it continue. They have been outstanding.

“You can’t ask for much more from them. I have never played in a team where we have had eight clean sheets.

“They hate conceding goals and if they can keep it up it is going to be great for us.

“We know that if we even score one goal, and they do their job right, then we are going to win the game, so it is a great incentive to go and score because we know if we do we will get the three points.

“The first thing the gaffer wanted to do when he got the job, which is when I came in, was to shore up the defence and stop conceding silly goals — and we have done that.

“If I can chip in with goals and Steven Naismith as well — he has been a great signing — then it will be good.”

Hearts host Motherwell tomorrow.

Brendan Rodgers