Talbot hero returns to scene of the crime
AUCHINLECK TALBOT defender Gordon Pope admits he will never forget the pain of defeat to Hearts seven years ago — and his goal that was wrongly ruled out. Pope guided a 95th-minute ‘equaliser’ past Jamie MacDonald at Tynecastle but his delight at taking the Scottish Cup tie to a replay turned to despair when linesman George Drummond raised his flag for offside. Gordon Smith’s 84th-minute strike sealed victory over the valiant Junior side and Pope’s frustration was compounded after footage showed he was in line with Hearts midfielder Ian Black. As the 29-year-old, who works as a postman, prepares to return to Gorgie for tomorrow’s last-16 tie, he admits he is constantly reminded of that injustice. Pope, who also gave away a penalty that Andy Leishman saved from Fraser Mullen, said: ‘If that goal had stood, it would have been the biggest of my career. ‘Folk still bring it up, they just start talking to you and they’ll mention it — a lot of people still remember it. ‘I thought I was onside at the time and I was disappointed to look up and see the flag. When I saw it back again and it looked like I was in line, that made it even worse. ‘Everyone thought it would be a five or six-nil defeat but to run them as close as we did to getting a replay was great.’ Pope is one of three survivors from that team in the current side, including keeper Leishman and midfielder Steven White, and after shocking Ayr United in the previous round they are planning to make life uncomfortable for Hearts again. ‘Hopefully we can go there and do ourselves justice and everyone gives 100 per cent,’ he said. ‘That’s the main thing for us.’