30/03/2014 Sportscene


30/03/2014

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Good evening and welcome to Sportscene. Today's Edinburgh derby

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was like a cup final neither side really wanted. Both sides in bottom

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half of the table bother. Victory for Hibs would relegate Hearts.

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Victory for Hearts would delay the inevitable and further embroil Hibs

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in the play-off quagmire. With us in the studio tonight two men who know

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exactly what the Edinburgh derby means - the former Hibs captain Ian

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Murray and the former Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Forget

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Mothers' Day - the fans of Hibs were hoping this Sunday would be Hearts'

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Black Sabbath. # Generals gathered in their

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masses... # Like witches at black masses... James Collins scores a

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goal of his Derby dreams. Just the one change to the Hearts team beaten

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here last time by Dundee United. Jason Holt slots into midfield,

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taking over from Scott Robinson. Terry Butcher changes half of the

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Hibs team. Skipper Liam Craig and Kevin Thomson are among those left

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out. James Collins comes back to lead the attack. These Hibs fans

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would like their team to get the win which Jake -- which sends Hearts

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into The Championship. Hibs could get dragged into play-off problems

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at the bottom. Ryan Stevenson, and Dale Carrick, makes the Derby day

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breakthrough. Relegation might be around the corner. But Hearts will

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not go down without a fight. They are ahead, inside six minutes. The

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defending, pretty desperate. No pleasure on the boil, no marking on

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Ryan Stevenson, and Dale Carrick was there to take full advantage. -- no

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pressure on the boil. -- the ball. Derby delight for Dale Carrick. And

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James Collins finds a little bit of room. Unable to do any great damage

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with the header. Stevenson, and the offside flag has gone up against

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Nicholson. The ball ends up in the back of the net, and that tells you

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that it was the wrong decision. Wrongly flagged. Collins, turns away

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from the captain. James Collins, what a chance.

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Hibs still without a shot on target. Nice skill. From Tom Taiwo. Danny

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Handling works his way into a shooting position and fires wide.

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Not the first half to get Terry Butcher to excited. Sam Nicholson,

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water hit, and what I save. -- what a hit and what a save. A spectacular

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stop from Ben William 's -- from Ben Williams to stop his team going two

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behind. David Smith! It was so close. Could've been a second goal

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for Hearts. And surely, that would have meant no way back for Hibs.

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Nicholson is taken out, of the ball. By Alan Maybury. Gary Locke,

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having to the calmed down. And that is yellow for the experienced

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defender. But, from standing, and the header from Ryan McGivern,

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flashing just off target. Former Hibs striker Leigh Griffiths, shared

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his pain. Jordan Forster, squares the game, or has he? The flag goes

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up against Forster. This is worth another look. He was not even close

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to being offside. The header from Forster. It is pumped away by

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Patterson. Hibs. And Maybury takes out, this can mean only one thing, a

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second yellow card, and Hibs, down to ten men. Today just gets worse

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and worse for them. Robinson, breakdown for Hearts. Two against

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two, Billy King is round Ben Williams, I Derby win for Hearts. --

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a derby win. Hibs had to throw everything at trying to get an

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equaliser. And they were picked up on the break. It was a substitute,

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Billy King, who could have hit the deck as he was caught why Ben

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Williams, but he stayed on his feet to score. And he completes a famous

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victory for his team. Derby day defines from Hearts. -- defiance. We

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had to give the fans something. Especially the way that they have

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kept the club alive, and back us, all season. We kept plugging away in

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the second half, the fans were tremendous in the second half, but

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we could not give them that reward. We were never going to score on that

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basis. And when we did score, it was chalked off for offside.

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A great victory for Hearts, a great golfer Billy King, and a great win

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for Gary Locke and all of the Hearts fans after a difficult season. -- a

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great goal for. Ian Murray, Hearts were deserved winners today. They

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started the game better, getting the early goal. Giving them a massive

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advantage. All over the park they had energy, desire and passion for

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the fans. I do not think that Hibs can complain. Craig, as a Hearts

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man, what did it mean today? It meant a lot after a very difficult

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season. It was an impossible task for Gary Locke, after the problems

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they found themselves in at the start of the season. Those players

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and management team would be remembered if that was their Hibs

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team that put them down, so it is nice, for them to stay that off. You

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saw the emotion at the end. It shows you how much it meant for the Hearts

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players to get back victory and stave off relegation. And what a

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start it was for Hearts, Dale Carrick with the goal. Fantastic

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goal from the Hearts point of view, but defensively, there is so much

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wrong with that goal, it is difficult to know where to start.

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Those gaps between the centre halves in the fullbacks are massive.

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Forster does not challenge the first one, and then there was the

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knock-down, it was a great goal for Hearts, but a shocker foreheads. --

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Ashok, for Hibs. It is a good header right into his path, and he is

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taking a good touch and managed to finish it. From the Hearts point of

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view it is the strikers working together well, together goal. The

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goal from Jordan Forster was ruled out for side. As Terry Butcher said,

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it was a scandalous decision. It is difficult to disagree with that when

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you see the pictures. It is so far on side, as we can see here. It is

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scandalous, that is the word to use. I do not get wider linesman does

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flag straightaway. -- I do not get why the linesman. That could have

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changed the game. Yes, he has taken a bang in the face, he is slowly

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coming out compared to the rest of the back four, trying to give the

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linesman something to hold onto, he is perhaps looking at the rest of

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the back line and has not noticed and coming out, so late. It was a

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poor decision, it should have been a goal, it should have been equaliser.

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What is wrong with Hibs? Terry Butcher came in, and there was a

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surge of optimism. We saw Leigh Griffiths in the crowd, he made a

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difference in the last couple of seasons. What is wrong with the club

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at the moment? It is hard to pinpoint. They have struggled in the

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last couple of years. They have gone through a succession of managers.

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Nobody seems to have been able to turn it around. Terry Butcher needs

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patience and time to do things his own way. You can see from these

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snapshots from the Hibs players, confidence is low, and they almost

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panic when they get into that situation, looking to get the shot

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off as soon as they can. It is all about getting the shot away, getting

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the ball away, as quick as they can. And players like Liam Craig on the

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bench, why are they not getting into the starting 11? Today was probably

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a day for a bit of experience. It is a recurring theme for Hibs, not

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showing up on the big occasions, especially against Hearts. They have

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struggled in semifinals and top finals. This was almost as big as

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that for them. You have got to feel sorry for their supporters,

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following them in huge numbers, they will be bitterly disappointed with

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their team today. Ross County are one of the sides right at the heart

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of the race to avoid the play-off place. But their chances of picking

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up points this weekend looked slim as they travelled to Parkhead.

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Celtic were in celebration mode having clinched the title midweek at

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Partick Thistle. A good ball. Anthony Stokes can get

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the party started. It is Henderson. Johannson seals the Celtic win.

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Anthony Stokes. That is brilliant. And Kris Commons with number five.

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Celtic are doing it in style. It was simply breathtaking. The title

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secured in some style and in good time. It might only be the end of

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March, but Celtic take to the field as champions with the traditional

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acknowledgement from their opponents, a nice sporting touch.

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The Celtic players taking the acclaim of the Celtic fans.

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Liam Henderson makes his third start in four games, and a competitive

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debut for 18-year-old Eoghan O'Connell. Craig Kerry was record

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against Aberdeen and keeps his place as Derek Adams names unchanged

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starting 11. -- Graham Carey was recalled. And the shot, Ross County

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have the lead! 60 minutes played. The third girl in four games for

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Ross County's top goal-scorer, given away by Scott Brown, he had his

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pocket picked casually by Graham Carey, and Melvin De Leeuw fires

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Ross County into the lead. They led on the opening day of the season but

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could not hold on. They have a chance once more again today. Melvin

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De Leeuw turns and flicks it towards goal. He is full of confidence at

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the moment. He is on a good scoring run. He twisted awkwardly to get it

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away. That is good play onto Leigh

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Griffiths. He looks up, he tries the shot, Mark Brown spills it, and Kris

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Commons takes full advantage. And again, Mark Brown has struggled to

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hold on and again it has cost his side a goal. Leigh Griffiths fouls

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in the shot, and Kris Commons sliding in. He levels matters after

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35mm, the 100th goal for Celtic this season. -- after 35 minutes.

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He has got options. Griffiths is wide. Griffiths was trying to say it

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came off the defender's arm. The referee not interested in those

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claims. Songo'o was sold. So costed the job. -- sick costs did the job.

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Brittain gets the clearance. He looked up, spotted the youngster. It

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was a tight angle. He is unlucky. Celtic were one down with Henderson.

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Tries to interchange with Stokes. The ball flashed over. They were one

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down, they have got on level terms and are looking to push ahead and

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Liam Henderson is at the heart of almost everything that is good for

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Celtic at the moment. County are building slowly. Carey

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wants it, goes for gold. Fraser Forster diving across to his right

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hand side of Carey came so close to putting Ross County back into the

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lead. A fabulous effort. We were not our brilliant best and there was a

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bit of edge not there really. But that is totally understandable. Now

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we build for the remainder of the season. We won't have to look at

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rotating the squad a bit and giving other opportunities to other players

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to play. We created enough chances to win the game. We deserved to go

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ahead in the game. But overall probably disappointed to come away

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with just a point. It was a great result for Ross

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County but it would not dampen the celebrations for Celtic as they

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celebrated the title with the home crowd on Saturday.

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celebrations for Celtic as they celebrated the title Is that a good

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time to play Celtic, Craig, the fact it was the champagne getting sports

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-- getting poured over Scott Brown's head in midweek and it was

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Scott Brown that lost the ball. I am not sure of the two things are

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connected! I think so. I was captain of Hearts and we went there and beat

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them, the same thing. It is a good time to play a team who have won the

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league. They are out of the Cup and have nothing left to

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time to play a team who have won the league. They are out of the Cup play

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for this season. It was a good time to play. That is so uncharacteristic

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of Scott Brown. You hardly ever see him give the ball away in those

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kinds of situations. That is a great finish across. Exactly what you want

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your striker to do. He finishes it very well. One touch too many from

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Scott Brown and De Leeuw once again to the fore for Ross County. What do

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you make, Ian, of Ross County, because they made a lot of changes

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in January. We have Carey almost stealing all the points for Ross

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County. They are in the mix in terms of a play-off place. They are, no

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question about it. You see the way they play football, they get the

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ball down all the time. Derek was assistant manager when I was at Hibs

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and he likes players to get on the ball. Take a chance, pass it, go

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forward and that is what they do. They have done so well last season

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they made a rod for their own back perhaps this season. They are in

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there, but I think they have just enough to get through the season and

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consolidate for next season. Kilmarnock or another side in the

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play-off. They faced a tricky looking encounter away to

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Motherwell. Commentary from John Barnes.

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Motherwell make two changes to their line-up. Allan Johnson makes four

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changes to his Kilmarnock side, looking for a winning formula.

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A good shot from your head. Turned away by Nielsen.

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It is off the line by Muirhead. The big striker on the line to play for

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Kilmarnock. Iain Vigurs! Motherwell are in

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front. Four minutes before the interval. His first-ever -- his

:19:59.:20:10.

first effort was blocked, but it was on his left foot and powerful enough

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to beat Samson. That is a lovely drag back and turn.

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What a goal that would have been from Iain Vigurs to double his

:20:28.:20:30.

account. The side netting though. That looks -- that looked like it's

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called the wrong way but John Sutton has scored in the previous two

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matches against Kilmarnock, knocking it off target.

:20:56.:21:13.

McKenzie has equalised. Rory McKenzie on the scoresheet for the

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fourth time this season. A good build-up play from the on loan

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Celtic player, Jackson Elding, to thread that threw for McKenzie. A

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neat finish from the Kilmarnock winger.

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Sutton is close to knocking that rebound in. Samsung did not get it

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out of the danger area. -- Samsung. -- Samson.

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He has hit the bar. He expected the delicate touch of the Finnish

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international to find the back of the net. He found the top often

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would work. -- he found the top of the woodwork. Five minutes of

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stoppage time has been added. Slater, directs with the shot, and

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that will be the winner for Kilmarnock. Craig Slater's first

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goal for the side. Slater was the man who was released by the other

:22:32.:22:41.

player. His effort took a bobble. It was an end to end game. We would

:22:42.:22:46.

lose a game by trying to win it. You don't want to sit at home and accept

:22:47.:22:49.

a point, but to lose it with the last kick of the game and when you

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see it, it bobbles over and there is nothing we can do about it is how we

:22:54.:22:58.

bounce back now. It was a disappointing result, but we have a

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big game against Inverness. It was a team performance to date. We

:23:05.:23:11.

defended better as a team. There was a good partnership with Ashcroft. We

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have legs all over the park will . The goal from Craig Slater coming

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in late in injury time, on the counterattack, after Motherwell had

:23:25.:23:28.

been up at this end of the field. How impressed by you to the way that

:23:29.:23:32.

he took the goal? Soon as the ball is played into his path he is down

:23:33.:23:40.

the line. They are deep, Hutchinson allows them inside. For me as a

:23:41.:23:44.

goalkeeper I would rather he goes down the outside and makes shoot

:23:45.:23:50.

from an angle. He has got him going down the line, he just deepens too

:23:51.:23:54.

far and allows him back inside into a shooting opportunity. Nicholson

:23:55.:23:58.

driving forward, showing a good appetite to get forward and I must

:23:59.:24:02.

say I have every sympathy for the goalkeeper because that is not

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favourable. It is a shocking one and I have full sympathy for him. Iain

:24:08.:24:13.

Vigurs obviously with the goal for Motherwell. What did you make of his

:24:14.:24:17.

game overall? He showed some good skill at times, didn't he? Yes, a

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good player. They played predominantly for -4-2 and you see

:24:30.:24:33.

the goal here, the cross comes in and nobody defends it. He is always

:24:34.:24:37.

alive around the box and he will be a bit disappointed in the save. This

:24:38.:24:47.

was fantastic. He is having a hard time there, maybe telling him as

:24:48.:24:51.

well that you see the goal, you have to go for it. A difficult result for

:24:52.:24:57.

Motherwell. Do you see them as contenders for second place? Yes, I

:24:58.:25:00.

think so, they are in there with a shout. It will be a good fight and

:25:01.:25:06.

hopefully it will go right to the end of the season and we get the

:25:07.:25:10.

best team coming out on top. The pressure is on St Mirren. They

:25:11.:25:14.

travelled north to play and Inverness Caley Thistle side still

:25:15.:25:17.

intent on hunting down the Europa League spot themselves but John

:25:18.:25:20.

Hughes' side would have to do without captain Richie Foran, who is

:25:21.:25:24.

out with a knee injury and Aaron Doran, who is on the sidelines due

:25:25.:25:28.

to a hamstring problem. St Mirren started the day in the dreaded

:25:29.:25:32.

play-off place, second bottom in the Premiership. They weren't out Marian

:25:33.:25:37.

Kello and Paul McGowan. Brian McLauchlin has the story of the

:25:38.:25:38.

match. St Mirren were desperate for points

:25:39.:25:47.

and they have the perfect start after three minutes. Naismith firing

:25:48.:25:53.

home after the Caley defence failed to clear a free kick. Naismith all

:25:54.:26:00.

alone at the back and despite David Raven's attempts the ball ended up

:26:01.:26:03.

in the back of the net. The home side were quick to respond. Josh

:26:04.:26:08.

Meekings was denied by a fingertip stop like Christopher Dilo. Caley

:26:09.:26:16.

did draw level after 16 minutes. McGregor knocking the ball into his

:26:17.:26:21.

own goal from a corner. Pressure at the back post from Draper, but

:26:22.:26:27.

McGregor with the final touch. Then a great chance for the home side to

:26:28.:26:35.

go in front. Clean through on goal. But no luck for the Caley hit man.

:26:36.:26:41.

Pitch conditions playing a major part in the mists. The Caley boss

:26:42.:26:45.

John Hughes is a great believer in playing the passing game and his

:26:46.:26:48.

players have certainly fought into his football philosophy. A string of

:26:49.:26:56.

passes, slick and sharp, before the ball was eventually fed right to

:26:57.:27:01.

Polworth. He had time and space in the right-hand side to knock across,

:27:02.:27:06.

deep to the back post, but Billy Mackay was waiting to knock it back

:27:07.:27:09.

across goal and Tansey was there to fire the ball into the net. Nine

:27:10.:27:16.

passes in total before Tansey connected, to hammer the ball home.

:27:17.:27:21.

The Saints boss feeling the heat as his side went behind. However, they

:27:22.:27:26.

were to have one chance before the break. Steven Thompson's effort was

:27:27.:27:33.

blocked before McGregor fired over. Into the second-half and Saints to

:27:34.:27:40.

draw level. -- Saints were to draw level. Thompson's shot was blocked,

:27:41.:27:48.

then McGregor with Kelly at the back post to nod home the equaliser. It

:27:49.:27:51.

was Kelly's first goal for Saints but John Hughes will not be

:27:52.:27:54.

impressed by Caley Thistle's defence. The home side were then

:27:55.:27:59.

reduced to ten men. There was a battle of the -- there was a battle

:28:00.:28:05.

of Josh Meekings and John McGuinness. The Saints striker was

:28:06.:28:10.

pulled down by the defender. The referee decided it was a

:28:11.:28:12.

goal-scoring opportunity, despite the fact Graham shinny was coming

:28:13.:28:19.

into cover. John Hughes questioning the referee's decision. And Saints

:28:20.:28:26.

almost made use of their extra man. Good play by the right-hand side,

:28:27.:28:35.

his cross into the box met by Kenny McLean. And only the feet of Brill

:28:36.:28:44.

denied St Mirren all three points. Really delighted with the way we

:28:45.:28:48.

played in the first half. Delighted with the debut of Bryan Christie.

:28:49.:28:55.

Delighted that Draper got his goal. But we still need to keep that clean

:28:56.:29:04.

sheet to win the game. Week come into the split and it is the five

:29:05.:29:10.

teams roundabout is and I think that is where the pattern is going to

:29:11.:29:15.

emerge and one or two teams may find themselves away from that play-off

:29:16.:29:17.

position and that is what the ambition is. Honours even, but we

:29:18.:29:25.

talk about young players coming through the Scottish Premiership and

:29:26.:29:28.

Jason Naismith and Sean Kelly with the goals yesterday for St Mirren.

:29:29.:29:33.

St Mirren, a funny side, where they can be so hot and cold and sometimes

:29:34.:29:38.

it goes for them, like in this situation. It was not a bad

:29:39.:29:46.

performance. In the end, they could have got the three points, which

:29:47.:29:49.

would have been massive or them. They are scoring goals again. They

:29:50.:29:54.

go through stages where they don't score goals for awhile. When they

:29:55.:29:59.

start to score goals again, they will be dangerous. They have got

:30:00.:30:02.

some experienced players in the squad who have been there before,

:30:03.:30:06.

you know the situation. That could stand them in good stead for the

:30:07.:30:11.

rest of the season. What did you make of the red card situation?

:30:12.:30:16.

Should Josh McInnis have been sent off? I think the referee has got

:30:17.:30:23.

that spot on. I know that there was a covering defender. He is away, he

:30:24.:30:28.

has gone, I do not think that he is getting back. The only way to stop

:30:29.:30:32.

him is the player coming back, bringing him down. There was a

:30:33.:30:38.

player covering, but it is a sending off. It was Graham shinny, the

:30:39.:30:44.

defender, who might have got up to speed. -- Graeme Shinnie. The

:30:45.:30:54.

referee cannot guess who is the quicker player. He might have caught

:30:55.:31:00.

him. The referee cannot take that gamble. He still four yards behind

:31:01.:31:06.

him. That is why he has given the red card. I do not see that King

:31:07.:31:12.

rescinded. He will stand by that decision -- I do not see that being

:31:13.:31:18.

rescinded. Are we seeing an ever lotion on the John Hughes, at

:31:19.:31:30.

Inverness, -- and evolution? I have played alongside him, I know what he

:31:31.:31:35.

likes from his players. He likes to keep the ball down or stop like

:31:36.:31:40.

Derek Adams at Ross County. This is a wonderful goal from Inverness.

:31:41.:31:44.

They keep possession. They work it into a good area and then get it

:31:45.:31:48.

into the box. At some point you have to get the ball into the box. They

:31:49.:31:53.

have done it at an ideal time when they have got bodies in there. Greg

:31:54.:31:59.

Pansy with the goal, we have speeded the summer, but it makes a game that

:32:00.:32:03.

even more interesting. Again, the passing football to the fore. Yes,

:32:04.:32:11.

different outcome if they had shot from outside the box, but there has

:32:12.:32:16.

to be an end point to these moves, and at the moment, they are getting

:32:17.:32:22.

them. He will have players coming in in the summer that he can mould to

:32:23.:32:27.

his philosophy, and I am sure that they will be fine. Partick Thistle

:32:28.:32:33.

faced St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, the home side having secured a

:32:34.:32:41.

top six place. The Perth side also with plenty of fire-power with

:32:42.:32:44.

Stevie May on 22 goals for the season, ably supported by Steven

:32:45.:32:47.

Maclean, Lee Croft and Michael O'Halloran. As for Thistle, they had

:32:48.:32:50.

to do without the mercurial Kallum Higginbotham who was suspended.

:32:51.:32:55.

Jordan McMillan found a berth at right back with Stephen O'Donnell on

:32:56.:32:59.

the subs' bench. Lyle Taylor led the line, supported by Christie Elliot,

:33:00.:33:01.

Prince Buaben and Chris Erskine. It would be the worst possible start

:33:02.:33:12.

from Partick Thistle. Stevie May, sneaking in after a mistake for his

:33:13.:33:14.

23rd goal of the campaign. The ball, deflecting past Paul

:33:15.:33:23.

Gallagher in the Partick Thistle goal.

:33:24.:33:30.

After falling behind, Partick Thistle immediately became more of

:33:31.:33:36.

an attacking threat. The shot from Prince Buaben comfortably held by

:33:37.:33:46.

Alan Mannus. Soon after, Jordan McMillan crossed the ball, and found

:33:47.:33:50.

the head of Erskine, but his effort flew just over the bar. Before the

:33:51.:33:55.

first half finished, St Johnstone. The chance to double their lead,

:33:56.:33:59.

Stevie May with a header off the bar, and Paul Gallagher eventually

:34:00.:34:05.

punching the ball to safety. As the second half got under way, Stevens,

:34:06.:34:12.

Stevie May and Steven McLean threaten to make it 2-0, Maclean

:34:13.:34:18.

eventually carving the chance, and Paul Gallen can gain to the rescue

:34:19.:34:23.

for Partick Thistle. Cut the Glasgow side take something with their

:34:24.:34:26.

play-off place rivals all taking points? At the death, Kris Doolan

:34:27.:34:31.

popgun, Alan Mannus could not give it out, and how big would this point

:34:32.:34:36.

be for the final Premiership reckoning? On the back of two wins,

:34:37.:34:44.

top six, they should be happy, but those are the standards that we have

:34:45.:34:50.

set. We are disappointed to lose. On the other hand, Partick Thistle did

:34:51.:34:56.

well in the second half. We did it so late on, come into place like St,

:34:57.:35:01.

getting a point, they have been good all season, it is a very valuable

:35:02.:35:03.

point. Partick Thistle deserving of a point

:35:04.:35:12.

in terms of possession, and Kris Doolan with the goal. Ian, your

:35:13.:35:17.

Dumbarton side on the fringes of the play-off places in The

:35:18.:35:21.

Championship. Some of the teams involved in trying to avoid play-off

:35:22.:35:25.

places in the Premiership there, how would you rate them, and which side

:35:26.:35:30.

do you think will finish second bottom? It is so tight at the

:35:31.:35:37.

moment. Difficult to pick a team that will definitely be there. Hibs

:35:38.:35:45.

and St Mirren are struggling, but it is a lot to make up, that 6-point

:35:46.:35:50.

gap at this stage of the season. St Mirren have got the best squad in

:35:51.:35:53.

the bottom six. I find it hard to believe that they are where they

:35:54.:36:00.

are. For us to go and compete against an SPL team over two games

:36:01.:36:06.

is doable, we showed that against Dundee United early on in the season

:36:07.:36:12.

and against Aberdeen in the cup, and we have shown it against St Mirren

:36:13.:36:15.

in the league cup, taking them to a replay. To do it under that pressure

:36:16.:36:25.

though, is a different ball game. We've saved the best till last.

:36:26.:36:29.

Renewed vigour these days for the term "New Firm derby" as a bouyant

:36:30.:36:32.

Aberdeen faced their fellow '80s upstarts Dundee United. It would be

:36:33.:36:36.

a belter of a match at a bouncing Pittodrie. Commentary from Liam

:36:37.:36:41.

Macleod. Russell Anderson and Joe Shaughnessy return to the starting

:36:42.:36:45.

11 for Aberdeen. Peter Paul it does not even make the bench. Andy

:36:46.:36:49.

Robertson suspended for Dundee United, Nacer Ciftci suspended, in a

:36:50.:36:57.

reshaped line-up Jackie McNamara. Dundee United looking for their

:36:58.:37:00.

first victory at Pittodrie since 2009. They made a bright start

:37:01.:37:10.

proceedings. Brian Graham. And that is 1-0, Dundee United.

:37:11.:37:15.

Five minutes gone, and Paul Paton with a very cool finish. Jamie Lange

:37:16.:37:26.

field did not see it. Aberdeen did not deal with it. It came off

:37:27.:37:31.

Russell Anderson, actor Paul Paton, and that was composed. -- back to

:37:32.:37:38.

Paul Paton. Dundee United have started well. That was a brilliant

:37:39.:37:43.

save from Jamie Lange field. Wonderful goalkeeping -- Langfield.

:37:44.:37:52.

Jackie McNamara will be pleased with the start that his team is made.

:37:53.:37:57.

Looking for another. Somehow, that has gone over from John Souttar. He

:37:58.:38:02.

scored against Aberdeen in the New Year game at Tannadice. Willo Flood.

:38:03.:38:10.

The former Dundee United man. Logan at left back for Aberdeen, a big

:38:11.:38:20.

change for him. That comes off Dillon, last. That could have gone

:38:21.:38:25.

anywhere. The short one, from Barry Robson. He

:38:26.:38:35.

gets it back immediately. That is good play. Radoslaw Cierzniak did

:38:36.:38:42.

not know too much about this. He kind of scooted away as best he

:38:43.:38:51.

could. -- scooped it away. Stuart Armstrong is up against Reynolds, he

:38:52.:38:55.

has the beating of him, he goes down, Dundee United looking for the

:38:56.:39:01.

penalty, Callum Murray, shaking his head. A great burst from Armstrong.

:39:02.:39:07.

He did well to get past Mark Reynolds.

:39:08.:39:11.

Robson. Logan, good delivery, and Niall McGinn. He is desperate for a

:39:12.:39:24.

goal. He has been since mid-December, Niall McGinn. That was

:39:25.:39:34.

played long from Reynolds. Niall McGinn! It stays out, again. He just

:39:35.:39:42.

cannot catch a break, the Northern Irishman. Aberdeen hit the woodwork

:39:43.:39:48.

again, like they did several times at Ross County in midweek. Robson!

:39:49.:39:59.

Most of Aberdeen's attacking play has come through Barry Robson. He

:40:00.:40:05.

was unlucky there. A shake of the head from Derek McInnis. Aberdeen

:40:06.:40:11.

have begun the second half very well. And Niall McGinn, the goal

:40:12.:40:19.

drought is over! You can see what it means to Niall McGinn. Wild

:40:20.:40:25.

celebrations from the Aberdeen top scorer. He is into double figures.

:40:26.:40:28.

It has taken some time. A good spin and turn from Niall

:40:29.:40:40.

McGinn. Suddenly, he is losing confidence -- oozing confidence, the

:40:41.:40:53.

man from Co Tyrone. Willo Flood manages to pick out Adam Rooney. He

:40:54.:41:00.

has tested Cierzniak. Niall McGinn trying to keep the ball alive.

:41:01.:41:05.

Aberdeen hunting for the winning goal in the closing couple of

:41:06.:41:14.

minutes. Logan. That was a great switch from Logan. Shaughnessy, to

:41:15.:41:22.

Robson. Was that a foul? No, and Ryan Jack goes from distance, well

:41:23.:41:30.

past the post. He is not renowned for his goal-scoring, certainly from

:41:31.:41:34.

that range. And that was testing Cierzniak. Honours even at

:41:35.:41:41.

Pittodrie. I thought we did enough to win, in the second half, because

:41:42.:41:45.

we were doing all the running, but mindful that we were playing against

:41:46.:41:49.

a good side. This is a difficult place to come. Especially over the

:41:50.:41:54.

results they have had, lately, and the confidence that they have got.

:41:55.:41:56.

It is not a bad point. The first goal in 17 games for Niall

:41:57.:42:08.

McGinn. Are you surprised by that? Of course. For him to score so many

:42:09.:42:13.

goals last season, then start this season so well, and then to not

:42:14.:42:17.

score for that long, it is incredible. But he has worked

:42:18.:42:22.

incredibly hard for the team in that time. This was his last goal in a

:42:23.:42:30.

seven goal thriller at Inverness. He is a vital part of that team, but he

:42:31.:42:32.

surrounded by good, experienced players. They have played a lot of

:42:33.:42:39.

football, Aberdeen. They have still got the Scottish cup final to get

:42:40.:42:43.

to, as well. The pressure is on and they have handled it well. United

:42:44.:42:49.

started better and a great strike from a man who does not often score

:42:50.:42:54.

goals, Paul Paton. It was very well taken. You would probably not expect

:42:55.:43:00.

that. Controls it nicely. Takes it on the run, first time. Guiding into

:43:01.:43:07.

the bottom corner. You do not have to hit them that hard from distance,

:43:08.:43:12.

and Barry Robson has come out to close it down, citing the

:43:13.:43:25.

goalkeeper. -- unsighting. The thing that Aberdeen will finish second? I

:43:26.:43:29.

think so, nobody has capitalised when they have dropped points. At

:43:30.:43:35.

the moment, they are rather strong position. The good news from Craig

:43:36.:43:41.

Gordon is that he's fit and ready to once again. This is fantastic news

:43:42.:43:46.

for you. Are you actively looking for a club at the moment? Yes, it is

:43:47.:43:53.

towards the end of the season, but certainly to get back playing at the

:43:54.:43:58.

highest level I can next season. We have made up a CV four U. Age 31.

:43:59.:44:11.

Debut, 2002. Incredible. As the next page shows, famously, you became the

:44:12.:44:17.

most expensive goalkeeper in the UK when you went to Sunderland. And

:44:18.:44:23.

you're talking to Scottish clubs playing next season? There is still

:44:24.:44:29.

a possibility. It is a bit of a long shot. I am certainly able to play. I

:44:30.:44:33.

have been training for the past few months. I feel like I am ready to

:44:34.:44:39.

start matches. The level of interest from different clubs has been very

:44:40.:44:43.

good. It is just a case of picking the right one and getting on with my

:44:44.:44:49.

career. And Scotland again in the future, perhaps? That must be my

:44:50.:44:55.

aim. Just to get back to the very top, that is what I intend to do. At

:44:56.:45:02.

close of business, let's have a look at the Premiership table.

:45:03.:45:05.

That victory for Hearts only really staves off at reality of

:45:06.:45:15.

relegation. Kilmarnock, the big winners with that victory over

:45:16.:45:21.

Motherwell. Further up, Aberdeen two points clear of Motherwell in the

:45:22.:45:25.

race for second place. Champions Celtic remain 26 points in front.

:45:26.:45:30.

Today was all about Hearts still beating, for now, Tynecastle still

:45:31.:45:36.

has a Premiership goals, but sometimes, that pride is all that

:45:37.:45:46.

really matters. From all of us here on Sportscene, good night.

:45:47.:45:50.

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