FIRE AND ICE
Cappielow will be boiling on the terraces and freezing in the dressing rooms for visit of Jambos says Dougie
DOUGIE IMRIE hopes freedom mixed with fire and ice can see Morton concoct another Scottish Cup special.
The Cappielow club are flying the flag for the second tier as the only Championship side left in the competition.
Imrie’s in-form charges mauled Motherwell in the last 16 and now have another top-flight target in trying to halt unstoppable-looking Hearts.
The Morton boss was at the Excelsior Stadium to see Steven Naismith’s men dismiss Airdrie.
Imrie is full of respect for the Tynecastle side but knows the pressure will be on the opposition with high expectations on them to win the tie and go all the way to trophy success.
He believes his team can make it hot for Hearts on home turf after they have endured some pre-match chills off the park. Imrie said: “It’ll be a great game, a great occasion again.
“Obviously, our game against Motherwell was fantastic and the atmosphere was electric and I’m sure it will be even better. Hearts, I would imagine, will bring a bigger support and we’re just delighted to be in the next round.
“We just wanted a home tie, we feel on any day at home, we can beat anybody. It’s a really tough place for anyone to come. Hearts won’t have been in any dressing rooms or any grounds like ours.
“It’s always nice and warm. Our place is very small and cold! So they won’t enjoy that.
“But, listen, we have to give Hearts the respect they are due because they are a top team and Steven has them playing really well at the moment.
“Hearts are a fantastic team. Lawrence Shankland is banging in goals and we’ll have to be wary of that but the most important thing for us is that we can go and enjoy ourselves again.
“We’re the only Championship club left and are proud of that as well. We can play with that freedom and, you never know, it’s a cup game and it’s a one-off.”
Imrie knows that priceless chance to express without stress could be vital as he said: “That’s the most important thing. I keep saying to them to keep playing with that freedom. There is nothing to lose.
“Again, like Motherwell, all the pressure will be on Hearts. They are the Premier League team with top, top players.”
Imrie, of course, understands the size of the task facing his team. Naismith’s side have scorched to 10 wins from their last 11 games with the only blip coming in a draw with Ross County.
Hearts were clinical in the way they took care of an Airdrie side just one place below Morton in the standings.
But Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell was honest enough in his assessment of Well’s exit to suggest that, although his side were fully prepared for the opposition, his team were not able to prevent the hosts from winning.
Imrie said: “Listen, I think you have to take strength from Hearts’ game at Spartans where they struggled.
“They scored in the 92nd minute for their winner and I thought Airdrie in the first 10 or 15 minutes were in about them, had a few corners.
“Airdrie will be disappointed with the (Hearts) goals but certainly for us at home, it’s a really tough place for anyone.”
Imrie was able to see Hearts with his own eyes as he travelled to the Lanarkshire venue on Sunday.
Like all onlookers, he was impressed and he said: “Yeah, fantastic.
“He (Naismith) has them in a rhythm at the moment, they look unstoppable and they look as though they are going to cement third place. So we know how difficult it is going to be against the third-best team in Scotland but we’ll look forward to that.”
Imrie, of course, has every reason to relish the prospect given the incredible recent form of his own side.
Just like Hearts, Morton’s outstanding stats are piling up.
Imrie’s team are unbeaten in their last 14 matches and managed to win six of their last seven with triumphs over Motherwell, Dundee United at Tannadice and also a five-goal romp at Dunfermline.
The gaffer added: “Certainly, at the moment, we are on a good run and in a good vein of form and hopefully we can keep that going until the tie comes around.”
Like Motherwell, all the pressure will be on Hearts. They’re the Premiership team with top, top players DOUGIE IMRIE INSISTS CONFIDENT MORTON WILL HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE