Capital Visitors to Highlands

The top-six fairy tail has endeth, but the games keep coming and Hearts will be looking to consolidate third place in the SPL with the hosts looking to finish with a flourish after running out of steam in the winter months.

The best of the rest is Butcher's aim now that Motherwell secured the points to keep them ahead of Inverness in the race for that last top-six spot.  Motherwell held their nerve as Inverness blew hot and cold in that last couple of months so it's congratulations to them and commiserations to the Caley Jags.

Ginger Jaggy has been checking the pros and cons of this one, and his preview is ready for your eyes.

It has been a dramatic season with major highs and major lows, now we have made it to the final fixture before the split (Celtic game still to be confirmed). This small run that we faced to gain a top six place was always going to be hard but with the Celtic postponement it allowed us to delay the inevitable that has been coming for a while since Christmas. Last week at Killie a creditable draw was not good enough and so we now face the likes of Hamilton and St Mirren instead of the Old Firm. It has been disappointing to let slip such a wonderful position at Christmas but lets reflect - it has been a wonderful season. Let's remember us as a newly promoted team that went to Parkhead, Ibrox and Tynecastle and remained undefeated. Some supporters see the bottom six now as a boring end to the season that won't bring much excitement but there is no pressure on any of the teams which may produce some exciting games – we can only hope. Let's first of all concentrate on high-flying Hearts who we entertain on Saturday.

Info on the opposition

Hearts have had a very fine season and look like finishing as 'best of the rest' behind the old firm. They started the season a little bit erratically but an amazing run of 1 defeat in 11 matches before and just after Christmas got the Edinburgh club up the top of the table and challenging the old firm. A 1-0 win at home to Rangers gave hopes that this would be a 3 horse race but it didn't last long with a 4-0 thumping at Parkhead. Since then Hearts have dropped points and have fallen back from the Old Firm but have a comfortable gap to the rest of the top six teams. Recently my best friend at university took me to Easter Road to see the derby. It was a brilliant occasion apart from being crushed by some very excited jambos. The game was brilliant for a neutral to watch and showed what a good footballing side Hearts have been this season. Even without the physical presence of Kevin Kyle they have remained on target to achieve third spot and that coveted Europa League spot.

Past Encounters

This season we have faced Hearts twice and so this will be the last fixture between the clubs this season. Our first game was a live ESPN game at 12 in the highlands. Unfortunately for the four and half thousand souls it wasn't to be a happy day as the jambos headed back down south with all 3 points. It had started so well with Eric Odhiambo putting the Caley Jags ahead. But with what has been a common feature this season we failed to hold a lead to half time. Hearts won a free kick and a wicked delivery ended up flicking Chris Innes's head and finding the corner for an own goal. The second half saw Caley Thistle bring out two magnificent saves from Marion Kello which effectively won the game. At the other end Hearts quick attacking football was too much for the Inverness  backline as Hearts scored another 2 to seal the win. Tynecastle was more one sided than that game as Hearts bombarded our goal for the majority of the game. As with the first game we took an early lead thanks to Grant Munro with his'predatory skills' from a free Kick. The equaliser was pretty swift with Kevin Kyle converting a penalty after Ryan Esson tumbled Stephen Elliot in the box. Hearts peppered our goal, how it stayed at 1-1 was beyond me even though we had a great chance on the break in stoppage time to sneak 3 points but Russell Duncan choose to shoot straight at Kello when he had options either side. It wasn't to be but a draw still made sure we remained unbeaten away for a whole calendar year, what a year that was.

Form Guide

The form guide for this match isn't great if you are of an Inverness persuasion. We managed to pick up 27 points before Christmas which gave us a great platform to mount a challenge for a top six place but since then we have only managed to accumulate a meagre 11 points which has seen us miss out on the top six. In our last five matches we have managed to pick up 4 points with the excellent 3-0 home win over Motherwell and the solid 1-1 draw at rugby park last time out. But in between that we have had below par results and performances against Dundee Utd twice and Hibs. Hearts though haven't faired much better in their last five. They have only picked up 1 more point than us with a win over St Mirren and two draws which was the derby and Motherwell last week. They have also suffered from Dundee United's rise to form losing 2-0 at Tannadice while also being beaten 2-0 at home by bogey side Kilmarnock. When it comes to this fixture though, Hearts have the upper hand winning 10 of the 18 encounters while Caley Thistle can only claim 3 victories with 5 ending up all square.

Gingerjaggies thoughts

We are looking for a strong end to the year after an indifferent 2011 so far. The top six is over for another season and now is the time to try and finish as high as possible, with players now playing for contracts. The season is now all but over and so every game is now meaningless in a sense, although there is still money up for grabs for every place you climb in the league. But Hearts I hope will be a decent game and it is a great chance for players to now show some commitment with no pressure on the result. I think it will be an entertaining game and I feel we can sneak a win 2-1.

***Latest Team News***

Proctor and Sanchez are the long term crocks, but news that Graeme Shinnie is back training after a long illness will be welcomed by the Caley Jags fans.  Jonny Hayes could play his last game this season on Saturday before going under the knife.  He needs a clean up operation on his troublesome ankle/foot that will see him needing plenty recovery time for the start of next season, so sooner rather than later for Jonny.

Hearts are without our nemesis, Kevin Kyle after the big lad undedrwent a hip op.  That's not a new music genre, but surgery on his hip to clean out the joint.  This will keep him out until next season.  Marius Zaliukas is available in between bans, which could ease Jim Jeffries' problems as the Jambos have doubt's over a number of players Marian Kello, Rudi Skacel, Suso Santana, Eggert Jonsson and Darren Barr.  Lee Wallace and Calum Elliot are not in the frame to appear due to injuries, which can only be good news for the home defence as Elliot scored here earlier in the season, and has made a bit of a habit of it.

Other SPL News

Rangers troubles have now doubled as they are facing fresh allegations of sectarian singing against their fans and there is the possibility of being forced into playing games behind closed doors next season.  Not content with challenging Rangers about alleged sectarian chanting in Eindhoven, the return leg has also been scrutinised and Uefa are set to act on these allegations.  It makes you wonder what the hierarchy in the Scottish game have been doing all these years; burying their heads in the sand when it comes to the Old Firm, but dare any of the lesser clubs step out of line, then look out.  Bullies if you ask me.

Congratulations to our dear friends from across the bridge, they have managed to take our cup back North and can look after it for the next year.  I hope they keep it clean, plenty Brasso and elbow grease should do the trick.  But, the relegation battle continues for them as Cowdenbeath draw level on points with the gudgies.