4pm

We understand that tickets for the Stranraer cup tie will go on sale next Wednesday (March 5). Season ticket holders will have a week to purchase tickets for the game, before any remaining briefs go on public sale on March 12.

As we reported yesterday, the club will be running subsidised buses to the game, the cost of which will be approximately £2.00 or £2.50 per head.

MFC are also offering a corporate package which includes a glass of champagne, brunch, transportation, match ticket and a guaranteed ticket for the semi-final(!).  Cost is £65 and details are available here.

Today's local press reports that Terry Butcher is faced with a selection problem ahead of Saturday's match at Tynecastle. Just a few weeks after struggling with a severe shortage of strikers due to injury and suspension, the 'Well boss all of a sudden finds he's got a possible FIVE forwards to pick from. With James McFadden back after suspenion, and both Dirk Lehmann and Khaled Kemas fit again, TB now has a wealth of options to choose from, including youngsters David Clarkson and Steven Craig:
"I was disappointed to leave out David Clarkson on Saturday as he gives us something different upfront, but in a way it’s good because we now have plenty of options. James came back after his ban and scored two great goals, while Steven Craig has been doing well, so I made the decision to play those two players against Clyde. And when you consider we also had Dirk involved again after injury then our position in terms of having forwards capable of offering us something different is strong at the moment.

"The game against Hearts is a big one for us as they’ll be out for revenge after we beat them 6-1 at Fir Park last year and will be desperate to maintain their third position in the table, but we should have won last time out at Tynecastle when we went two goals up and ended losing 4-2. Certainly there have been plenty of goals between the two sides this season, although I would quite happily settle for a 0-0, but we don’t do them!

"However, the players confidence is high at the moment and our squad is gradually getting bigger with players coming back from injury and suspension, so competition for places is increasing all the time. The spirit in the camp is tremendous and all the players are desperate to keep our winning run going by getting a result against Hearts on Saturday."

Following the recent victories over Hibs, Dunfermline and Clyde, we travel to Tynecastle looking for our 4th victory in a row, and Terry Butcher added:
"I was speaking to John Boyle the other day and he was telling me he thinks it’s the first time since he’s been at the club that we’ve managed to pick up three wins in-a-row. We have also managed to beat every team in the top six, including the Old Firm, so you could certainly say it’s been fairly eventful. A few weeks ago we were bottom of the table, but the players have responded and our recent good run has set us up well for the rest of the season."

James McFadden is a slight doubt for the Hearts game after being forced to pull out of the Scotland Future's Squad's midweek trip to Turkey, but he should be fit enough to start on Saturday. However, Derek Adams starts a two-game ban and both Scott Leitch and on-loan forward Richard Offiong again miss out through injury.

The Under-21s drew 2-2 with their Dundee United counterparts at Fir Park last night, thanks to goals from Brian Dempsie and Khaled Kemas. Sadly, it wasn't such a good night for striker Darren Jack who left the ground in an ambulance after picking up a serious injury.

Team: Woods, Cowan, Clarke, Dempsie, Kinniburgh, Higgins, Lasley (Barkey), MacDonald, Lehmann (Wright), Khemas, Jack (Black).
Subs not used: Ewings, Neville.

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