Lawrence Shankland admits Hearts captaincy has been heavy burden but demolition job sets stage for Euro push

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