WATSON SAVOURS HIS SPOT OF HEROICS

IT WAS the moment young Craig Watson had dreamed about since he first walked through the doors of New Douglas Park as a wide-eyed 11-year-old. After Hamilton goalkeeper Michael McGovern drew first blood against Motherwell by saving a sudden-death spot-kick from Simon Ramsden on Wednesday night, the 19-year-old Accies kid knew his chance to become a hero had finally arrived. With the shoot-out tied at 5-5 and the fate of the Lanarkshire derby in his hands, the teenager swallowed hard and began the interminable walk from the halfway line. He changed his mind about where he was going to put the ball, but kept his cool to send Alex Neil’s men into a last-eight League Cup showdown at holders Aberdeen. ‘I was very nervous but I’d been dreaming of a chance like that all my life,’ beamed Watson. ‘You think about scoring the winner in a shoot-out when you’re growing up. And, when nobody was missing theirs, I began to think it might come down to me. ‘I was sixth in line and, when Michael saved their sixth, I realised it was me. It was a long walk to the penalty spot. Normally, I’d put it to one side but I decided at the halfway line to change my usual style. ‘I was quite confident because we practise penalties most Fridays but I didn’t want to take any chances. So I just gave the keeper the eyes to the right and sent it down the middle. Luckily it went in the net. ‘It will be a big ask against Aberdeen but we’ll give it our best shot. ‘We feel we’re as good as any team in the final third, and we’re solid at the back as well. We can’t get too carried away but our start to the season has been fantastic.’ The young midfielder isn’t content with just being the hero of the hour, however. He hopes his big moment can prove a springboard to a long and fulfilling career and wants to emulate former Accies youth graduates James McCarthy, James McArthur and Brian Easton. ‘I’ve been looking to make the step up to the first team and be involved as much as I can — and now I’ve kept my nerve and made a bit of a mark,’ added Watson. ‘I’ve been at Hamilton for about nine seasons now, right through the youth system. I made my firstteam debut in 2012 against Ross County but didn’t get much game time after that. ‘I wasn’t in the full-time environment at the club when the two Jameses were here but the youths used to go and watch the first-team games, so I knew all about them. They’re an inspiration to us all. The pair of them, plus Brian Easton, are always held up to us as what can be done in the game.’ Now Hamilton have an instant rematch with Motherwell in the Premiership at Fir Park tomorrow, and Watson declared: ‘I’m hoping to get as much game time as possible and it would be great to start on Saturday.’