It's not the first time in recent campaigns that Hearts have found themselves plugging square pegs into round holes to cope with a mounting injury list.

After overcoming a pile-up earlier in the season, head coach Wouter Vrancken has been hit by his second mini-crisis caused by absentees.

Eight first-team players are currently crocked - five in defence and three in central midfield.

Christian Borchgrevink injured his hamstring in Trabzon, while first-choice left-back Harry Milne suffered a serious-looking knee injury on the same trip.

Hearts were already without centre-back Stuart Findlay and defensive hybrid Oisin McEntee for the trip to Turkey, with neither travelling because of groin and calf problems respectively.

Brazilian midfielder Ageu has suffered another injury, described rather mysteriously as a "muscle injury", while Blair Spittal and Tom Renaud are both out longer term with ankle knocks. Craig Halkett's return date following a ruptured Achilles remains unknown.

There are only four fit defenders on the books for Vrancken to choose from, yet he has picked one of them in midfield for each of the past two games.

That's because Jordi Altena has been preferred to partner Tomas Magnusson, with regular midfielder Laurent Mendy also nursing a niggle. Altena, more often seen at right-back, played in midfield at times last season and also did so in his native Netherlands.

"The middle of the pitch is a real problem area, the amount of players they've got out injured," former Hearts player Andy Halliday said on Premier Sports. "My argument is, I actually think Jordi Altena is better in there. Defensively, at right-back, he gets caught out at times."

That has meant Rogers Mato, the Ugandan winger known for his speed, has had to deputise at both left-back and right-back. So far, he's kept former Liverpool star Mo Salah and Motherwell's left side fairly quiet, earning plaudits in the process.

"I don't have a choice!" Mato joked in his post-match interview. "It's the manager's choice - look at the injuries.

"I need to be there for the team, to help them in any way. I'll play any position and give 100% to help my team-mates win.

"We just need to give it our all, whoever comes. I'll play against Mo Salah, I'll play against anyone."

It's quite the attitude, and it shows why Vrancken trusts him.

"Mato is somebody you can count on," he said. "You see in the one-v-one duels, he is the best offensive player in those situations. I'm really happy he played a good game again."

He's not wrong. No Hearts player made or won more tackles than Mato at Fir Park. He was involved in more duels than any of his defensive colleagues, winning eight out of 11, while still creating two chances.

While Calvin Miller did well at left-back in earlier wins against Dundee United and Inverness this season, a place in the backline now seems to be Mato's to keep.