Robbie Neilson: Hearts players to still choose penalty takers

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson will continue to leave it to his players to decide on who takes penalty kicks despite two failures on Saturday.

Kilmarnock keeper Jamie MacDonald - a former Hearts player - saved from Jamie Walker and Abiola Dauda during the hosts' 1-0 win at Tynecastle.

"It's up to the players to decide when they are out there," said Neilson.

"Players should take responsibility. They decide out there who is on form, who is playing well, who is confident."

Speaking to BBC Scotland, he added: "At the start of the season, we scored a lot of them. Yes, we missed two on Saturday, but these things happen."

Gavin Reilly believes Hearts can catch second-top Aberdeen

With Aberdeen being held to a 1-1 draw at home by St Johnstone, Hearts are now nine points behind the second-placed Dons before Neilson's outfit playing their game in hand at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Tuesday.

The Edinburgh side were the only team in the top six to win over the weekend and their coach says the target is to narrow the gap on Aberdeen.

"It was our weekend, we did well." said Neilson. "There will be weekends when we struggle to get points and other teams get maximum points.

"It's a very tight league with teams that can beat each other, so it's about trying to get that consistency."

Striker Gavin Reilly feels it is possible to catch Aberdeen and force their way into second place in the table.

"It's definitely in our grasp." he said. "We just have to keep working, week-in week-out, and hopefully we can get there."