HEARTS CASH IN AS GONCALVES JOINS PAKHTAKOR

Had the referee blown a couple of seconds earlier, or had the ball not rolled a couple of inches further, then it would have been the perfect end to a terrific seven days for Hearts and their veteran centre-back Aaron Hughes.

The 38-year-old had played his part the previous Sunday as Craig Levein’s men halted Hibs’ three-and-a-half-year unbeaten streak in Edinburgh derbies. The very next day, he was given another tremendous boost as news emerged that Michael O’neill had decided against jumping ship to Scotland and would remain as his international manager with Northern Ireland.

Rested for the successful midweek trip to Hamilton, Hughes was restored to the starting XI for Saturday’s meeting with Motherwell. Leading through a David Milinkovic goal, he and his team-mates were so close to recording a ninth successive clean sheet, a run which extended back to early December when Motherwell last came to town, until disaster struck five minutes into time added on.

Curtis Main was in the right place to nod the ball over the line after Chris Cadden’s shot in a packed penalty area had deflected into the striker’s path off Connor Randall.

“It’s disappointing to lose a goal so late. It has that feeling as if you have almost lost Hearts striker Esmael Goncalves has completed his move to Pakhtakor Tashkent, writes Angus Wright.

The player has signed a twoyear deal with the Uzbek side after completing a medical yesterday.

It is understood Hearts will receive a fee of £300,000 for the Portuguese forward.

Goncalves, 26, joined Hearts last January from the Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta for £170,000 and scored 15 times in 42 appearances during his time at Tynecastle.

A statement on the Hearts the game,” said Hughes. “We very quickly have to move on and learn from that last five minutes to make sure we see games out.”

It’ll be unlikely that Hughes will remain in the side for Tuesday’s trip to Celtic Park. The experienced stopper website said: “After being offered the chance to further his career in Uzbekistan, the club negotiated a deal with Pakhtakor that suited all parties and allowed the Portuguese to head East and take up a wonderful opportunity. Everyone at Hearts would like to thank Isma for his services to the club and wish him well with the next chapter of his career.” Pakhtakor play in the Uzbek League and are managed by former Rangers striker Shota Arveladze, who has former Ibrox winger Pieter Huistra as his assistant. doesn’t tend to play two games in the space of the week; a decision typically taken by the management staff due to the player’s advancing years and his injury troubles throughout this campaign.

With those difficulties, and his contract expiring in the