Main will let his boots do the talking

Curtis Main is comfortable with shouldering the burden of expectation for Motherwell’s goal threat at Hampden today.

Main has scored six times in 15 games since moving north from Portsmouth in January and is a certain starter in today’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.

Fellow forward Ryan Bowman has not netted since December, fit-again Nadir Ciftci has scored once since moving on loan from Celtic and has not started a game since the quarterfinals, while top goalscorer Craig Tanner is out with a serious knee injury.

Main has regularly been asked about replacing Louis Moult, who hit 50 goals in two-and-a-half seasons before moving to Preston, but the 25-year-old was always confident he would make his own name with Stephen Robinson’s side.

“As far as I was concerned, there was a space that needed to be filled in the team and the manager was desperate to bring me in, which as a player is what you want to hear,” the 25-year-old said. “That gave me confidence in itself.

“I’m just someone who likes to play football and perform. I didn’t really feel any added pressure to fill boots. I have got my own boots and I will let them do the talking.”

The powerful forward made his first-team debut aged 15 while at Darlington and secured a big move to Middlesbrough while still in his teenage years.

He will feature in his first semi-final today.

“Opportunities like this don’t come around too often so you have to make the most of it,” the former Doncaster player said.

“It’s a place in history – that’s what winning cups does.”