Hearts told 'excuses are for losers' as another injury confirmed ahead of Stenhousemuir tie

The Jambos are unbeaten in their last eight matches as they prepare to travel to Ochilview, with its synthetic surface, to face unlikely Championship leaders Stenny in the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup on Friday evening.

Head coach Vrancken stressed to his players that there can be no excuses for dropping their standards, even if the environment is different to any other they have encountered this term.

“I told them this morning, I said, ‘now you can show yourself what a team you are’,” said the Belgian. “It’s easy to motivate yourself when you play against Benfica. But you’re a big team, you’re a good team when you also have the motivation in the games that are maybe less romantic.

“It’s a competitive game and we want to go to the next round with all our heart. We have to be there because I don’t want to have a team of players or people around who make excuses. It’s not about Astro, it’s not about the stadium, it’s not about all those things. Excuses are for losers. You have to prepare yourself and you have to be ready.

“Like I told theplayers before the Hibs game, we have to be above the emotions. Here also we have to be above the emotions.

“We are the favourites against the underdog and there’s a totally different situation than playing Benfica. The circumstances are maybe not like you want, but you also have to be above the emotions.”

Vrancken’s squad is stretched at centre-back and central midfield, with the versatile Oisin McEntee, who has been excelling in defence recently, joining the injury list, although he is expected to return for Tuesday’s trip to Falkirk.

Stenhousemuir are enjoying their first season in the second tier of Scottish football since the league reconstruction of 1975. The part-timers have stormed to the top of the Championship under Marvin Bartley, having taken 13 points from their first five games. They are now looking to reach uncharted waters again by making their first major semi-final.

Bartley stressed that “working hard” was the key ingredient, while keeping a strict defensive structure – they have only conceded two league goals – is aligned with a licence to be creative in the final third.

“We have clarity of everything we do, whether it be on the ball, whether it be off the ball, whether it be set-plays, whatever else it might be," said Bartley, whose side beat Motherwell in the previous round. “Everyone’s on the same wavelength. We try to take the guessing out of it.

“A lot of people look at attacking and they think it has to have some sort of structure to it, and when it comes to defending, it’s kind of off the cuff. And we’re the opposite with that. We need to know when the ball’s in certain situations, in certain areas of the pitch, how we’re going to defend it.”