Kye Rowles planning Hearts redemption act as PAOK challenge offers chance to rewrite Conference League history

Kye Rowles insists Hearts are preparing to offer up an act of redemption for the errors of their ways last season by putting PAOK to the sword.

Failings, both domestic and European, by the Jambos in the previous campaign remain fresh in the Australian’s mind as a Europa Conference League play-off first-leg arrives against the Greeks in Edinburgh tonight. Blowing a double digit lead in the Premiership over Aberdeen only to finish fourth behind the Dons and being also-rans in their continental group stage courtesy of home and away defeats to Fiorentina and İstanbul Basaksehir has left a sour taste in the Tynecastle defender’s mouth.

But the Hearts stalwart is adamant victory over PAOK this evening would go a long way towards being absolved for previous sins, just as long as it provides a platform to second-leg progress over in Thessaloniki next Thursday. He said: “Obviously last season did not go the way we wanted it to, letting that kind of margin slip. It still makes us angry to be honest. This is kind of our redemption act in a way.

“We are just fully committed to doing our best for this tie and hopefully we get the result we feel we deserve. I think a good start is pretty much non-negotiable. We managed to claw one back against Rosenborg over there in Norway. That went a long way, but we don’t want to start like that again. Not at home.

“We are going to go out and try to be on the front foot and give ourselves the best shot ahead of going over there next week. We are focused on putting in a good performance and hopefully the result handles itself. PAOK are a very good footballing team. Obviously they have very good quality on the ball going forward but hopefully we have a few things up our sleeves that will help us get