Levein lauds super Cup tie as Tynie outfit break Well Hearts
IT has been five long years since Hearts were last at Hampden. Finally, they may have their chance to exorcise the ghosts of their defeat to St Mirren in the 2013 final of this competition after eventually shaking off a spirited Motherwell side in a remarkable game at Tynecastle.
The visitors moved ahead on the night through a Curtis Main penalty, but an equaliser from Steven MacLean before a fiercely contested first-half was out and another from Peter Haring in a second period which Hearts dominated looked to have given Stephen Robinson his first knock-out defeat to a side other than Celtic.
From nowhere though Motherwell hit back with a stunner from Ryan Bowman, but as extra-time loomed, Olly Lee popped up at the death to finish off a fine sweeping move before Steven Naismith made sure on the break in stoppage time.
For Hearts, the dream start to the season continues as the locals skipped out of the stadium with thoughts of silverware on their minds, sitting atop the Premiership and facing Celtic next month for a place in the first final of the campaign.
A knackered Craig Levein said at the end of a breathless night: “That was brilliant. What a game of football. I loved it.
“I said to the boys at halftime: ‘I wish I was playing’. What a brilliant game, right from the beginning. It never let up. I’m just thrilled we managed to get through.
“We definitely deserved it. It was character-building.”
It was a shame there had to be a loser at all. It was everything you would want from a cup-tie and then some.
Hearts got off to a flyer and had two efforts cleared off the line in the opening minutes.
The visitors were handed a golden chance to take the lead after just 11 minutes as a brilliant delivery from Bigirimana found Liam Donnelly arriving at the back post to head the ball against the outstretched arm of Dunne. The Steelmen were denied a penalty at the weekend in an almost identical incident at Pittodrie, but this time referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot and Main stepped up to send Zdenek Zlamal the wrong way.
Hearts were handed a gift of their own to claw their way level though, as Bigirimana undid his earlier good work by dallying on the ball in his own area, being dispossessed by Callumn Morrison who centred for Naismith. The striker’s header back across goal found MacLean at the opposite post to tuck home.
Hearts smelled blood, and made their dominance pay with 25 minutes remaining.
After Mitchell’s effort was