Lawrence Shankland admits he’s found the weight of the band on his left arm a heavy burden to carry in recent weeks.
But after Hearts flicked the switch back on for their third-place ambitions, the Jambos skipper insists ending a six-game run of defeats with the demolition of Ross County is all about looking forward. A clinical hat-trick for the Scotland striker was only half the story as the Staggies were overwhelmed by three goals in a devastating spell that helped shift the dark clouds over Tynecastle.
Shorn of the indecision and nervousness that has been a hallmark of displays which cost Robbie Neilson his job, the performance in Gorgie was so good it should have sunk the Highlanders under a goal tally hitting double figures. Shankland said: “It’s difficult going through bad spells and everything gets looked at. I was probably a brilliant captain before we started losing then I’d have been a rubbish one. That’s what happens and you need to accept it. It’s the pressure of football. Everyone gets caught up in the emotions. You have to put that to the side and concentrate on getting a performance. We got the performance and goals to go with it. That’s what you can take confidence from and I’ll help along the way if I keep scoring.
“We didn’t go home in a bad mood for once. Being on a tough run you’re just looking for any win. To get it so emphatically with six goals will give the boys huge confidence.”
Alex Cochrane started the rout with a right-foot strike from the edge of the box that screamed past Ross Laidlaw in the 17th minute. Josh Ginnelly’s superb break and finish added another five minutes later before Shankland nodded in his first in the 28th minute.
Shankland slotted home a penalty on the stroke of half-time and Ginnelly grabbed his second with an emphatic finish after the interval as County’s defence looked like conceding at every Hearts attack.
A delightful lob from Shankland brought a sixth and County scored through a late Owura Edwards penalty but the truth was the side sitting bottom of the table got off lightly. Shankland believes this success will go some way to eradicating any murmurs of dressing-room disharmony.
He said: “Obviously when things are difficult everybody reads into everything in every little detail and everything is wrong. It’s just about getting a win again. You get confidence from it and everybody feels together again. It’s a good feeling and a good start for us. The split is hugely important for where we’re going to end up at the end of the season and we can go into it on a high.
“The quality is in the changing room, it’s just trying to get it out. When you’re on that bad run, it’s hard to get boys to bring their best performances because confidence is low. It’s just trying to reassure boys they are good players.”
Just what Neilson would have thought of the return to form of his former side is anyone’s guess. But this was a dramatic transformation from a team that has looked so bereft of confidence and attacking invention. The Jambos can now target Aberdeen for third place and with that a return to Europe next season. And Shankland admits that is now the primary focus.
He said: “We’re going to play good teams but we’re a good team as well. That’s why we’re up there and have been most of the season. It’s just getting that belief back and this will help that. We’re playing teams we’ve beaten so we’ll go in full steam ahead. It’s definitely achievable.
“We know how important it is to the club. We want the European nights and away trips again for the fans. We need to look to do it. We’re three points closer to it and we need to play Aberdeen after the split. We should be at home so we’re looking forward to it.
“We want the experiences of being in Europe and playing in those big games. There were a couple of tough asks in the group stage and there were lessons for us but the whole experience was enjoyable. We need to be determined to get that again. You want to test yourself against those teams.”
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