HEARTS have been deducted two points and fined after admitting to fielding an ineligible player in the Betfred Cup group stage.

The Jambos were handed a £10,000 fine at an SPFL disciplinary hearing on Monday. 

Andrew Irving was brought on as a substitute during the second half of a 2-1 win for Craig Levein's side last Wednesday.

However, it later emerged that the club had failed to register the 19-year-old's new deal, which was signed in January. 

An SPFL statement said that £8,000 worth of the fine is suspended until the end of the 2019/20 season. 

Hearts followed up their win at Cove with a penalty shoot-out victory over Raith Rovers on Saturday after a 1-1 draw at Stark's Park. 

The points deduction will see their tally fall to three points, leaving the Ladbrokes Premiership side three points adrift of joint-leaders Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Cowdenbeath in Group C.