CHRIS SHERRARD

Fergie junior hoping for trip to Linfield or Glenavon

MATTHEW FERGUSON used his head to earn Lisburn Distillery a dramatic extra-time Irish Cup win.

And now he’d love nothing more than a crack at one of his old man’s former clubs in the next round.

The son of Spike is carving a very good name for himself in front of goal at the Whites.

And that reached another new high point on Saturday when he bagged the winner in the biggest cup competition in the country.

That’s a goal a game on average this season for the 23-year-old who has 17 to his name already.

The draw for the fifth round takes place at IFA HQ on Thursday with many managers, players and supporters turning their focus to see who they get.

Ferguson will be no different and he said: “There’s always a great buzz to find out who you get in the fifth round.

“Getting to this round was one of our objectives at the start of the season so anything beyond that will be a big bonus.

“We played Coleraine in the fifth round last year and they went all the way and won it.

“Those are the games as players you want to be involved in, in front of a big crowd and with the spotlight on you.

“As a club it’s a boost as well and it brings a real buzz to a club.

“We’ll be waiting eagerly for the draw to see who we get now, everyone is always looking within seconds to see who is playing who.

“Everyone’s ambition is to play against one of the big boys and that’s why the Irish Cup is so good because it gives all teams that opportunity.

“For me personally it’s always great to play against clubs my family have been involved with.

“I really enjoy going to the likes of Linfield and Glenavon and it’s good for me to be able to show them that I’m doing well.

“For a club like us if you don’t get a big team then you want a winnable tie so our hope is for a kind draw.”

That strike continues Ferguson’s impressive run in front of goal again this season.

And he added: “I’m happy with how things are going for me personally.

“I’ve 17 in 17 so I’m happy with that ratio and I’m confident going into games that if I get a chance

I’ll put it away.

“It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, the goal is always the same and putting the ball away is what I’m there to do.”

A gripping encounter against Comber Rec on Saturday saw the teams locked at 3-3 after 90 minutes.

Francis Dugan had put the Whites in front and, despite Jordan Dougherty briefly bringing the sides level, the hosts were comfortably in front when Aaron Harris (inset) and Dugan’s second made it 3-1.

However, Stuart Hanna reduced the arrears and he struck again with 15 minutes left to play to set up extra-time.

And that’s when Ferguson took centre stage, nodding home when it looked like the tie was heading for penalties.

He said: “I think everyone in the ground could see by my celebration what the goal meant to me.

“I was probably the happiest man in the ground.

“Tired legs had set in and everyone probably had a sense that the game was going to pens.

“Thankfully I was able to get my head on a great cross and direct it into the back of the net. It was a fantastic feeling of joy and relief to win the game and avoid penalties.

“Comber Rec made it a really difficult game for us, as we expected they would.

“We came out of the blocks really well and even when they got it back to 1-1 it didn’t shake us and we went in 3-1 up at half-time.

“But we had taken our foot off the pedal a bit towards the end of the first half so we had words at halftime.

“We knew the next goal in the game was going to be key, either we would be 4-1 up and the match dead or they’d be back to 3-2 and it was game on.

“Unfortunately they came out really strong and put us against the ropes to get the game to extra-time but thankfully we got the winner in the end.”

Plenty of goals at New Grosvenor but no such excitement, or pleasure, for Portstewart, however.

They were beaten 1-0 on their visit across the county to Maiden City with Dwayne Mcbreaty’s goal settling a scrappy affair in the north-west.