Mazy McPherson
Davie had Gers on the run in ‘95 cup shock ... this time it’s too close to call
THE sight of Dave McPherson galloping down the park is the enduring image for most Hearts fans from their last Scottish Cup tie with Rangers at Tynecastle.
Last week marked the 25 anniversary of a 4-2 win for the Jambos in the fourth round and they haven’t clashed in Gorgie on cup duty since. That ends on Saturday and if it’s anything like the last Scottish Cup clash then we’re in for a treat.
Hearts had a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to Colin Miller’s free-kick that caught out Ally Maxwell and McPherson’s close-range header.
This was a Rangers side in the midst of nine-in-a-row so it was more of a shock than it would be now.
Hearts making life difficult for themselves was as true then as it is now however. Brian Laudrup’s tap-in a minute after the restart and Gordon Durie’s back-post header had Rangers level.
McPherson said: “We were a bit surprised to be going in 2-0 up and Tommy McLean just told us to keep doing what we were doing.
“Rangers scored right after half-time then got another one and you do start to think ‘Aw, here we go’.
“But the Hearts fans were right behind us. It was one of those nights where you felt if we could get another goal we would win it and we did.”
John Robertson re-established Hearts’ lead a minute after Durie’s leveller. Then in the last minute they sealed the deal in the most unlikely manner.
Big Slim picked up the ball midway through his own half and started running through the middle before meandering towards the right flank and giving it to Robertson.
He kept going, collected the striker’s return pass, found himself at the angle of the box and headed for goal.
Alan McLaren’s arrival to cut off the space looked to have halted his charge, only for McPherson to turn him on a sixpence and lay the ball into the path of Kevin Thomas who dispatched past Maxwell.
To this day it’s McPherson’s mazy that’s talked about. He said: “Rangers were pushing for another equaliser which left a wee bit of space. I managed to break up a passage of play, drive forward. I played a one-two with Robbo and it put me through.
“Alan came to cut me off but I managed to cut inside him and lay up Kevin for the goal which pretty much sealed the tie.”
For Rangers, Saturday’s tie probably represents their last chance of silverware after a collapse that has seen them fall 12 points behind Celtic in the Premiership title race.
That poor run began at Tynecastle last month, when the Jambos came from behind to beat them 2-1.
Many felt that victory would signal the beginning of the end for Hearts’ relegation troubles.
But they remain stuck at the foot of the table so safety remains the top priority ahead of Scottish Cup glory.
McPherson, who also played for Rangers, said: “It’s a big game for both teams. A cup tie is always different. It gives the managers something else to focus on rather than the league.
“For Steven Gerrard it’s an opportunity to stop Celtic winning another Treble and that will be the focal point of his message to the players.
“If Hearts play well they might get something out of it but if Rangers play to their strengths, they might just be too strong. They can’t afford to lose now.”