Hearts smoked by Thun as Conference League compounds injury crisis

Hearts lost 3-1 to Swiss champions Thun in the Conference League, with an own goal and two further strikes leaving them with just one point from three games.

Hearts' Europa Conference League campaign is in serious trouble after a 3-1 defeat to FC Thun in Switzerland. A Jamie McCart own goal in the 22nd minute set the tone, with Brighton Labeau adding a second in the 34th and Furkan Dursun scoring a third in the 56th. Stuart Findlay's 82nd-minute goal proved only a consolation as Hearts sit bottom of their group with one point from three matches.

The Edinburgh side travelled severely depleted by injury, missing eight outfield players including Craig Halkett, Harry Milne and Blair Spittal. Stephen Kingsley was added to the absentee list during the match. Manager Wouter Vrancken was forced to improvise with unconventional positions, moving Kingsley to right-back and McCart to left-back, but the performance fell well short despite Thun currently sitting ninth in the Swiss domestic league.

Hearts face Monaco next at Tynecastle with their qualification hopes hanging by a thread. The injury crisis shows no sign of easing, with Tomas Magnusson out with concussion and Calvin Miller sidelined for at least two months with a meniscus injury.