Caley’s fight is a huge hit for Hughes
INVERNESS boss John Hughes cheekily pulled down the shorts of goal hero Andrea MbuyiMutombo as he hailed the travelling Caley Thistle fans at full time.
Despite his role in the impromptu mooning, the Highland boss admitted it felt like the forward’s goalscoring turn in this 1-1 draw at Easter Road was written in the stars.
‘Andrea was touch and go whether he was even going to be on the bench today because he has had a wee calf problem lately,’ said Hughes, who also managed to clout Liam Polworth around the ear when celebrating his team’s equaliser in the away dugout.
‘But that’s fate, it worked out for us. And after that I felt there was only going to be one winner. The only way we would have lost it would be through trying too hard to win it.
‘But we were strong, we showed spirit and it was everything you ask of a cup tie.
‘We went toe to toe, mano a mano, we got stuck in and we played some nice stuff. Now we get to do it all again in Inverness.
‘But nothing is decided yet. You can say we are at home, so we are favourites, but I am not going to buy into that.
‘We are playing against a Hibs team that you would think might have been a little bit vulnerable after losing three games but I t hought t hey showed great resilience.
‘ You could see great spirit amongst them. It’s all to play for in the replay.’
Hughes also played down a note he passed onto the park f or Polworth before his second half substitution.
‘I gave him the wrong note,’ he laughed. ‘It was for my messages — two bags of potatoes and a halfloaf. No, it was just a note about the shape for the team, to give it to the skipper so he could organise things. Did it change the game? Of course it did. I’m a genius.’
Meanwhile, after securing a replay on March 16, goal hero Mbuyi-Mutombo has set his sights on living the ultimate dream just like last season’s Caley Thistle Cup heroes.
The winners will face Premiership strugglers Dundee United and the 25- year-old Democratic Republic of Congo international forward revealed he is desperate to join the class of 2015 who made history by beating Falkirk 2-1 at Hampden to win the Highland club’ s first-ever major cup silverware.
‘Even before the game, the boys were talking about how some of them got to live the dream last season,’ said Mbuyi-Mutombo.
‘We were talking about how those who were not there last season wanted to experience it this time. We want to keep our hands on the Cup. We are all really motivated to bring it home again.
‘I wasn’t 100 per cent today but I was glad I could help my team-mates get the draw.
‘I am happy because Hibs are a good side and it will be another tough game in Inverness.
‘We will have home advantage but both teams will feel they have a chance of reaching the semi-final.’