Hearts game with Inverness postponed after sickness bug

Hearts game at Inverness on Tuesday has been postponed after the Jambos' squad was hit by a sickness bug.

The club contacted the SPFL board on Monday regarding a postponement after illness decimated their first team's morning training session and the authorities have acquiesced to their request.

The match, which was originally postponed in January, has been rescheduled and will now take place on Tuesday, April 12 at the Tulloch Caledonian stadium with a 7.45pm kick-off.

An SPFL statement read: "Hearts applied to the SPFL for the postponement in view of injuries and/or sickness affecting the vast majority of the first team squad, which has left the club with few fit players including only one fit goalkeeper over the age of 16.

"The Hearts doctor has provided written evidence to the SPFL of the injuries and sickness of all those affected and has also advised of the potential for further infection, both of other squad members and of players and staff of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

"In these exceptional circumstances, the SPFL has agreed to the postponement request."

The Edinburgh club earlier postponed a development league fixture against Dundee at short notice, citing 'first-team call-ups'; the U20s team had set off for Montrose for the fixture before being called back.

First-team players had been due to report at the club's Riccarton training complex on Monday morning before heading up the A9 to the Highland capital later.

Hearts lost out at Celtic Park on Saturday and are scheduled to host Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Friday night by which time Robbie Neilson hopes to have seen the back of the bug

The coach told the club website: "I'm disappointed that we won't get to play the game as scheduled as the boys wanted to continue the good form they showed at Celtic Park.

"It's a real shame for the fans too, but I'm glad that the decision was made before the day of the game.

"The virus has completely wiped out the majority of the squad. We still prepared as best we could and started to travel up to Inverness, but with only one fit goalkeeper available the game couldn't possibly have gone ahead.

"The whole situation also disrupts our plans for Friday's game against Aberdeen, but we'll regroup and prepare as best we can." 

Inverness still have a chance of making the top six, sitting four points off the top half in ninth spot as of Monday afternoon.