Nice work, including a nutmeg, from Jamie Walker, who then swings in a lovely cross which is only inches above leaping striker Bjorn Johnsen. The lanky frontman could maybe do with more support in the box.

Hearts create a decent opening as Don Cowie cuts the ball back into the path of Jamie Walker, who tries to let fly from the edge of the box but Ross Callachan comes sliding in to make an impressive block.

Jordan Thompson, on loan from Rangers, is making his presence felt in midfield, snapping into tackles and not letting Hearts playmaker Malaury Martin settle at all.

Now Raith come forward and Mark Stewart's scuffed shot nearly drops for Ross Callachan in front of goal but goalkeeper Jack Hamilton is alive to the danger and smothers.

Another corner to Hearts and Jambos skipper Perry Kitchen is left all alone near the penalty spot only to power a downward header narrowly wide of the post.

Raith Rovers clear from a corner and immediately launch a counter-attack, with Mark Stewart giving Aaron Hughes a hard time before the experienced defender manages to clear.

Hearts midfielder Malaury Martin decides to have a pop from distance but that shot is only going to trouble the gulls flying high above Stark's Park.

Ross Callachan strides forward in Rovers' first attack and his flashing cross is heading for a lunging Mark Stewart at the near post area but John Souttar is able to thwart him with an important block.

It's very early in his Hearts career but glove-wearing full-back Andraz Struna has caught the eye with some nice touches.

Another break in play as Hearts defender Andraz Struna has to wait for a ballboy to retrieve the ball from the lower reaches of the stand. The first ballboy on the scene is too small to get over the wall...

The visitors are bossing the ball in these early stages, without much happening.

Jamie Walker is back on quickly after getting some cotton wool stuffed up his nose by the physio, who wasn't messing about.

Ouch!published at 2 mins

2 mins

Raith Rovers 0-0 Hearts

An early stoppage as Jamie Walker takes a dunt during a spell of head tennis. The Hearts winger leaves the pitch with his nose bleeding.

A peep of the whistle from referee John Beaton and we're off...

The teams are out. Hearts in their Battenberg yellow and pink second strip, Rovers in their usual dark blue and white.

As our man Chris McLaughlin says, the home side have found goals hard to come by this season. Gary Locke's side are on a run of nine games without a win in the Championship and have scored just three times in that sequence.

Hearts' form is no great shakes either. Head coach Ian Cathro has been in charge for five games, winning once and losing three in the top flight.

Image source, SNS

With four new faces in the team - three of them in the back four - and having had a break since 30 December, could Hearts be vulnerable? We'll find out soon. TV coverage is starting now on BBC One Scotland. You can watch online using the link at the top of this page.

Ross Matthews starts in the Rovers midfield in place of the cup-tied Ryan Stevenson, while Mark Stewart is preferred to Ryan Hardie up front, with the on-loan Rangers man dropping to the bench.

Hearts, as mentioned earlier, have given starts to their four new signings - with Andraz Struna, Aaron Hughes and Lennard Sowah coming into defence and Malaury Martin in midfield.

Liam Smith drops to the bench Igor Rossi has exited the Tynecastle club, while Faycal Rherras and Arnaud Djoum miss out as they are in Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Image source, SNS

"All the pressure is on Hearts. I've just told the boys just go and enjoy the game.

"We're well aware of how difficult it's going to be but there are always shocks in the cup and if we play to our best then we are more than capable.

"I'm not going to deny that it [leaving Hearts] was a difficult thing to take. My focus is only on doing the best I can for Raith Rovers."

Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Stark's Park

The players continue their warm up in the biting cold here in Kirkcaldy. The home side need to find a way to turn around a poor goals return - they've scored just three in their last nine. Gary Locke told me pre-match that he's as surprised as anyone given the calibre of strikers at his disposal. Ian Cathro has a new-look defence and all four of his January signings start today. He's as pragmatic as ever saying it's simply the next game and they will do what they can to win.

Raith Rovers are looking for their first win over Hearts in 24 years.

The Edinburgh side won all four meetings in season 2014-15 as they steamrollered their way to the Championship title.