Craig Halkett insists a Europa Conference League baptism of fire against Istanbul Basaksehir could still prove a blessing if they put points on the board against Riga.
The Scotland defender sat out of a 4-0 demolition by the Turks on Thursday night due to a hamstring injury but admitted it was a sobering lesson on the step up in class against continental opposition at Tynecastle.
A first group clash for the Jambos in Europe for 18 years may have been a painful watch for the 27-year-old. But he’s already targeting a return to the side for the clash in Latvia in midweek and believes the club is on a steep learning curve with Riga a destination that can get their campaign off and running. Halkett said: “We knew from the minute the draw was made we’d be facing teams of a high level and Thursday was an example of that.
