Beni Baningime confident Hearts can climb up Premiership table with hard work ahead

Beni Baningime is confident Hearts are primed to climb the Premiership table but the midfielder is well aware they still have plenty of work to do to escape the danger zone.

The Edinburgh side remain second-bottom but have moved nine points clear of last-placed St Johnstone and within five points off the top six after taking eight points from their last four matches.

Baningime, who has helped Hearts qualify for Europe in each of his previous three seasons at the club, was disappointed that his side missed the chance to make it three wins on the spin as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Aberdeen – after Jorge Grant saw a stoppage-time penalty saved by Ross Doohan – on Sunday.

“We shouldn’t be in this position we are in but we are, and we obviously take responsibility for that,” said the midfielder.

“We need to be turning the draws into wins, especially at the weekend, when you have an opportunity like that to score in the last minute.

“But it’s happened and I think hopefully we will turn it around and get up the table.

“I don’t believe, with the ability and the talent that we have in the changing room, that we should be where we are but ultimately, that doesn’t mean anything.

“It’s application. Applying yourself in the right way and obviously your ability will finally show.

“I think recently we have been a lot better. There probably should be potentially four wins in a row, but that’s football.

“We don’t speak about potential. It’s what’s happening right now and we just need to keep going.”

Baningime revealed nobody in the Hearts dressing room was of a mind to dig out midfielder Grant after his spot-kick was pushed onto the post by Doohan.

“I think when a player goes up there, like Granty does, it’s a huge responsibility and a player missing, it happens, it’s football,” said Baningime.

“I made a bad pass, so ultimately, I think the bravery of him going up there, I think it’s great.

“It’s just unfortunate that it didn’t go in. I thought the goalkeeper made a great save.”

Hearts are in the midst of a January squad overhaul, with Australia defender Kye Rowles set to follow Liam Boyce and Andres Salazar out of the door by signing for DC United this week.

The Jambos have already signed defender Jamie McCart and Belgian forward Elton Kabangu, while they are also chasing Kazakhstan international winger Islam Chesnokov and Austrian centre-back Michael Steinwender.

Baningime will be sad to see Rowles – who has made more than 100 appearances in two-and-a-half years at Tynecastle – depart.

“If Kye is leaving, then I wish him all the best,” he said. “He’s going to be a miss because what a great player he is, an international player.

“He likes to say to me all the time that he is an international player and I’m not. But yeah, if he is leaving then he’s going to be a great miss.

“It’s a pleasure knowing him and I know that we’ll stay in contact if he is leaving.”