HEX MARKS THE SPOT FOR HIBS

Superstitious Keatings confident of lifting Cup curse after ending goal wait in Caley stalemate

IN ending a personal record of 16 games without a goal yesterday, Hibs striker James Keatings lifted one curse. Now one of Scotland’s more superstitious players has the nation’s biggest sporting hex in his sights as the Easter Road side remain active in the quest for a first Scottish Cup win since 1902.

Despite a late equalising goal from Inverness Caley Thistle substitute Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo taking the tie to a Highland replay on March 16, Keatings believes confidence has been restored to the Hibs squad after a dismal run of three Championship defeats to Morton, Dumbarton and Queen of the South.

The league dream may be in tatters, with Falkirk leapfrogging Alan Stubbs’ side into second spot in the Championship on Saturday, but Keatings believes there could yet be a double silver lining to that cloud — starting with Sunday’s League Cup Final against Ross County at Hampden.

‘Can we win a cup double this season? Yes, definitely,’ said the 24-year-old.

‘We’ve shown we can do it against Premiership teams. Yes, we had a poor three-game run and we’ve not been taking our chances. We’ve been losing silly goals, too. But we’ve corrected that and we are looking to get back on the good run we were on earlier in the season.

‘On a personal level, I had gone 16 games without scoring before today and it was the longest and most frustrating time in my career. My previous longest run was six games, so I felt it would never end. The last two months have been horrendous for me and it was great to get the monkey off my back. I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders.

‘I’m a really superstitious guy. Before games, I always do my left stuff before my right. I put my left sock on before my right sock. I put my left leg into my shorts before my right. And my left arm goes into my jersey before my right. I always take my gran’s rosary beads into the changing room with me before games, too! Can that help Hibs’ Scottish Cup curse? I will just keep doing it and see what happens.’

After all the pre-match routines, Hibs could have gone ahead early on but Inverness keeper Owain Fon Williams made a fine save from a David Gray header and then followed up with a vital block from Liam Fontaine.

Moments later, Hibs thought they had taken the lead when Williams superbly tipped a low Anthony Stokes drive onto the post and the luckless Keatings was f l agged offside as he knocked i n the rebound from close range.

Then there was fury when Liam Henderson was caught on the edge of the box by Liam Polworth, but not even multiple replays could clear up whether it should have been a penalty, and r eferee Crawford Allan’s caution was spot-on.

The second half finally brought a breakthrough from Keatings that looked to have Caley Thistle joining Aberdeen, Dundee Unit e d, St Johnstone and Hearts on the list of Premiership victims claimed by Hibs this season.

The goal was down to a great piece of skill from the impressive Stokes. The on-loan Celtic striker’s clever shimmy took out two Caley Thistle defenders, before he pushed the ball into the space he had cleverly created for the overlapping Gray. Keatings made no mistake from the cutback as he buried the ball mercilessly beyond Williams and his relief was palpable.

It was the perfect pick-me-up for a player who was still hurting from missing an open goal with virtually the last kick of the 1-0 fifth-round win over former club Hearts in last month’s derby at Easter Road.

‘It was a massive chance against Hearts and I didn’t sleep that night,’ he said.

‘I came into training the following day and the gaffer joked with me that he had been ready to celebrate until I missed. He told me to move on but, when I had a goal chopped off today, I thought the goal would never come.

‘Thankfully, though, I’ve managed to put the ball in the net in this big game. Hopefully I can now push on and get a barrowload. I’m a striker. I want to score goals.’

For all their dominance, though, Hibs just could not find a second goal. And, with 12 minutes remaining, disaster struck when Inverness equalised. Substitute Lewis Horner won the ball at the byeline and crossed for Jordan Roberts to set up Mbuyi-Mutombo.

Despite the best efforts of the valiant Gray on the line, the DR Congo international forward’s shot flew high into the net to keep the holders alive in the competition. In the Caley Thistle dugout, manager J ohn Hughes i nadvertently clattered Polworth around the ear during his celebrations.

If there was a positive for Hibs, they will welcome back top scorer Jason Cummings and Marvin Bartley for the replay after both sat out yesterday’s game through suspension. Keatings remains confident his side can clinch a last-four clash against Dundee United.

‘It felt like a real blow, conceding the goal late on,’ he reflected.

‘But we’re confident enough. The last three games wasn’t the real Hibs. It’s been a massive blip in our season to lose three games in a row in the Championship but it’s about how we react to it and I felt we did that today with a good performance against a top Premiership team in Inverness.

‘I thought we played well and had the better chances and should have won the game.

‘We did a good job out there today and, hopefully, we can finish it in the replay.’