:00:14. > :00:23.Good afternoon and welcome. Forget storm Gertrude, the Met office have
:00:24. > :00:28.issued red alert for hot air between now and 5:10pm. That's enough about
:00:29. > :00:32.me. For balance, there is the cold, calculating logic of Michael grant
:00:33. > :00:38.and the former Rangers defender Michael Murray. Let's get to it. We
:00:39. > :00:43.will start with a customary bounce around the grounds, starting at
:00:44. > :00:48.Tynecastle, where he burn you are playing St Johnstone for a place in
:00:49. > :00:54.the League Cup final. It is a Bernie and one, St Johnstone one. He Bernie
:00:55. > :01:01.and are in front after 23 minutes. Liam Henderson went down just inside
:01:02. > :01:05.the box. The equaliser came four minutes later, a magnificent header
:01:06. > :01:11.from Joe Shaughnessy. The second half just getting underway at
:01:12. > :01:16.Tynecastle. In the Premiership, Dundee are at home to Motherwell.
:01:17. > :01:24.Let's check into Scott Davie. Dundee U Myrick one, Motherwell 2. A
:01:25. > :01:27.wonderful start from both sides. In four minutes, Chris Cadden with his
:01:28. > :01:32.first Motherwell goal. Wonderful control in the chest. Dundee
:01:33. > :01:36.impressive going forward and they were level within seven minutes,
:01:37. > :01:41.Paul McGowan with his first of the season. Great play by Greg Stewart,
:01:42. > :01:45.McGowan shooting home. Stephen Pearson rolling back the years. The
:01:46. > :01:51.33-year-old midfielder through the middle of the Dundee defence to prod
:01:52. > :01:57.in the second goal. Off to Rugby Park, where two of the bottom three
:01:58. > :02:02.in the First Division are in action. Kilmarnock at home to Hamilton.
:02:03. > :02:05.Plenty of nerves here and lots of scrappy football and tension. This
:02:06. > :02:11.is a relegation struggle but no goals. Off to the bottom of the
:02:12. > :02:18.championship, St Mirren against Alloa. Charlie Man U is at a Mirren
:02:19. > :02:27.park, no, in the Paisley 21-21 stadium. It is St Mirren 1, Alloa 1.
:02:28. > :02:34.Isaac Layne gave Alloa the lead from the penalty spot but Keith Watson,
:02:35. > :02:42.guilty of conceding the penalty for Alloa's opener, levelled things up.
:02:43. > :02:49.It was going so well! Less stay in the Championship with Dumbarton at
:02:50. > :02:54.home to Livingston. Into the second half, it was goalless, and it still
:02:55. > :02:59.is here in Dumbarton. Last week conditions have turned this into
:03:00. > :03:02.somewhat of something not really resembling a professional football
:03:03. > :03:07.match. The players are finding it difficult to keep the ball on the
:03:08. > :03:12.ground, but as for the goalkeepers, Livingston coped better in the first
:03:13. > :03:18.half. We are in the second half and it is still goalless. That is what
:03:19. > :03:23.happens when you read stuff and autocue! Let's talk about the scores
:03:24. > :03:31.so far. One each against St Johnstone, is that a fair reflection
:03:32. > :03:34.bus far? I think Hibernian will be disappointed at half-time,
:03:35. > :03:37.especially scoring first and conceding so soon after. On the
:03:38. > :03:43.balance of play, they have certainly been chances created. The penalty
:03:44. > :03:48.decision must remark what did you make of it? If you are going for an
:03:49. > :03:53.attacking side, especially in a semifinal, there probably was enough
:03:54. > :03:57.contact for the penalty to be given. A player going in and doing that
:03:58. > :04:03.challenge gives the referee an option to give the penalty. St
:04:04. > :04:09.Johnstone bounced back more or less straightaway. It was quite a hostile
:04:10. > :04:13.atmosphere for them. Hibernian have got three sides on the ground and
:04:14. > :04:17.they will be making a racket. A weaker team would fold in those
:04:18. > :04:21.circumstances, but then Johnston had not done that. They are organised. A
:04:22. > :04:26.great header wide Shaughnessy straightaway. As soon as it leaves
:04:27. > :04:31.his head, you think it is over the keeper's head. It could go either
:04:32. > :04:36.way. Choose your words carefully, Paul Hartley have this on the eye
:04:37. > :04:43.player, Dundee are 2-0 down to Motherwell. Motherwell could do with
:04:44. > :04:51.a win. Two defeats, but they were on a good run. Mark McGhee has got them
:04:52. > :04:54.not back in terms of getting towards the top six. Stephen Pearson on
:04:55. > :04:59.target again, his fifth of the season. He is scoring a lot of goals
:05:00. > :05:04.from midfield. He is the sort of player who can make a difference.
:05:05. > :05:08.Now in that group of teams in the division who are tightly packed
:05:09. > :05:13.together. But they have got some senior, experienced players, like
:05:14. > :05:17.Pearson. Scott McDonald, Lewis Moult, who is a lot younger. He has
:05:18. > :05:25.got quality. I think Motherwell will be OK. Hamilton against Kilmarnock,
:05:26. > :05:30.scrappy and tense. That is what one would have imagined, given the
:05:31. > :05:36.position they are in. I think so, a tough game, so both teams have had
:05:37. > :05:40.slumped at times in the season. I was up there last week and
:05:41. > :05:44.Kilmarnock were particularly poor. It is probably vital today that
:05:45. > :05:48.Kilmarnock don't lose but, in the long run, it probably doesn't help
:05:49. > :05:54.their position. A bit of a surprise that the two teams with the weakest
:05:55. > :05:58.defences in the league are goalless. Yeah, it is a good result for Dundee
:05:59. > :06:04.United, as it stands, because nobody is pulling further away from them.
:06:05. > :06:09.Hamilton could go for points ahead of Dalmarnock if they win, but it
:06:10. > :06:15.doesn't look like it is going to happen. -- Kilmarnock. Neither of
:06:16. > :06:20.these teams wins many matches. Your former employers, St Mirren, you
:06:21. > :06:26.started the season in charge. They are 1-1 against Alloa. They have
:06:27. > :06:32.failed to win at home before and it looks as though they are struggling
:06:33. > :06:36.today. It is a mystery to everyone, because the pitch is excellent, the
:06:37. > :06:40.surroundings are excellent, but for some reason over the last couple of
:06:41. > :06:44.seasons, their home form has been desperate at times. Today is another
:06:45. > :06:47.opportunity to try and get that one and at the moment they are not
:06:48. > :06:54.taking it. It will be a huge blow if they don't take it. Rangers against
:06:55. > :07:03.Falkirk, 0-0. Rangers have recently scored a barrowload of goals soap
:07:04. > :07:07.Falkirk will be delighted at the moment. Falkirk beat regions the
:07:08. > :07:13.last time and since then Rangers have been really free scoring. --
:07:14. > :07:21.they beat Rangers. So far, Falkirk have been organised and tight. They
:07:22. > :07:25.beat Rangers at Christmas. Yeah, 2-1, a controversial, eventful game.
:07:26. > :07:32.I am not sure it is as busy today. But it just shows how solid and
:07:33. > :07:39.substantial 18 Falkirk are. We keep dismissing them. -- solid and
:07:40. > :07:43.substantial team. If you are racing Johnston fan and you are watching,
:07:44. > :07:46.it might be because you couldn't get a ticket for the semifinal at
:07:47. > :07:53.Tynecastle. Their manager, Tommy Wright, is pretty angry. Here is why
:07:54. > :07:58.he says the SPF fell have trampled on his club by religion on a promise
:07:59. > :08:04.to make 600 additional tickets available after their initial
:08:05. > :08:08.allocation. -- by reneging. But the league gave them to Hibernian
:08:09. > :08:12.because of segregation issues. The word fiasco has been mentioned in
:08:13. > :08:18.connection to this, and we do love a fiasco in Scottish football. Would
:08:19. > :08:21.you describe this as such? I think it has been poorly handled. When you
:08:22. > :08:26.think of the gap between when the draw was made and we knew that St
:08:27. > :08:30.Johnstone and Hibernian were playing each other and the selection of
:08:31. > :08:34.Tynecastle as the venue, the gap between that and the final decision
:08:35. > :08:41.being confirmed, St Johnstone, I think they had 75, 76 days. I think
:08:42. > :08:45.the lead's position is that there was never a promise, it was never
:08:46. > :08:48.that firm, that St Johnstone would get these extra tickets, but that is
:08:49. > :08:52.not the way that things Johnston see it. They believed that they were
:08:53. > :08:57.always going to get these tickets. Those were taken off them and given
:08:58. > :09:00.to Hibernian and you can see why Tommy Wright is angry, although I
:09:01. > :09:05.think there is probably an element of Tommy thinking that you can use
:09:06. > :09:11.this to build a siege mentality. A sense of grievance to go into the
:09:12. > :09:15.tie today. That aside, it is almost like a home game for Hibernian,
:09:16. > :09:20.massive disparity in the ticket allocation, it is in Edinburgh, at
:09:21. > :09:25.Tynecastle, so it will be like a home game. If Hibernian could have
:09:26. > :09:32.played anywhere outside Easter Road, it would have been Tynecastle. The
:09:33. > :09:35.ticket demand would be huge. For Hibernian, it is all positive. For
:09:36. > :09:42.St Johnstone, it is negative, but they will use that as a positive in
:09:43. > :09:47.the game. However, Hibernian have a much larger regular support and
:09:48. > :09:51.thing Johnston. They do, but it is a semifinal. Both teams would get a
:09:52. > :09:54.much bigger turnout. The other semifinal will be at Hampden Park
:09:55. > :09:58.tomorrow and that might be half full. It won't have the kind of
:09:59. > :10:02.atmosphere we can see from the pictures at Tynecastle. I think it
:10:03. > :10:10.is tough to get to a semifinal and only have 3500 tickets. Do we need
:10:11. > :10:14.segregation at matches like this? I don't think we ever get enough of an
:10:15. > :10:18.explanation, whether it is from police Scotland or whatever. If a
:10:19. > :10:25.ground is suitable, it should have act to put Best adequate segregation
:10:26. > :10:31.facilities so you don't just have one set of supporters packed away at
:10:32. > :10:38.the end. Our report is at Tynecastle watching events, Hibernian against
:10:39. > :10:46.St Johnstone. Anything new to tell us? Nine minutes into the second
:10:47. > :10:50.half, it is still Hibernian 1, St Johnstone 1. Hibernian started much
:10:51. > :10:53.the bright and delivered -- deservedly took the lead although
:10:54. > :10:57.the penalty was controversial. Liam Henderson just inside the box, the
:10:58. > :11:00.challenge coming in from Chris Miller. These things Johnston
:11:01. > :11:05.players were livid that the referee pointed to this. The player for St
:11:06. > :11:09.Johnstone was booked for so much of his protest. It was a terrific
:11:10. > :11:16.penalty taken by Jason Cummings, very calm. The ball ended up in the
:11:17. > :11:21.back of the net. Moments later, what a response from St Johnstone. They
:11:22. > :11:26.piled on the pressure, and a leap from George Shaughnessy was
:11:27. > :11:29.remarkable. Hitting a header into the top corner. Chances since then
:11:30. > :11:33.have been few and far between and the wind is now playing up, having
:11:34. > :11:40.an impact on how the game is being played. The sleet and snow has been
:11:41. > :11:45.falling. Remember, this game, if it is 1-1 against 90 minutes -- after
:11:46. > :11:50.90 minutes, we have additional time and possibly penalty kicks. We have
:11:51. > :11:55.now played 55 minutes here at Tynecastle. David is spending his
:11:56. > :12:03.afternoon at Dundee against Motherwell. Still 2-1. They are
:12:04. > :12:08.having to play back in the penalty area because there is a strong wind
:12:09. > :12:15.blowing in Dundee's Faber in the second half. It is that kind of
:12:16. > :12:18.afternoon. Snow flurries, the pitch cutting up badly, but we have had an
:12:19. > :12:22.entertaining match so far, although I think even Paul Hartley would
:12:23. > :12:27.criticise his defence for the way that they conceded the opening dome
:12:28. > :12:32.in -- the opening goal in form and it was it a of skill from Chris
:12:33. > :12:38.Scanlon, the teenage midfielder, but he was all alone in the penalty box
:12:39. > :12:43.to control it on the chest. The Dundee response was pretty instant.
:12:44. > :12:47.They were level within three minutes, Greg Stewart, lovely
:12:48. > :12:51.floated ball into the inside right channel where Paul McGowan had made
:12:52. > :12:55.an intelligent run. He controlled it with one touch and knocked it past
:12:56. > :13:02.Connor Ripley. From there, end-to-end stuff, Greg Stewart
:13:03. > :13:08.forcing Connor Ripley into another save. Stephen Pearson has given
:13:09. > :13:12.Motherwell the initiative, bursting through the Dundee defence in 23
:13:13. > :13:17.minutes, showing the pace and skill of the 33-year-old, lifting the ball
:13:18. > :13:22.over Scott Bain into the net. In the second half, a lot of intelligent
:13:23. > :13:30.play from Gary Harkins but so far Dundee can't manage to dig out that
:13:31. > :13:35.leveller. Off to Rugby Park to catch up with Richard Wilson. He is
:13:36. > :13:40.keeping an eye on Kilmarnock against Hamilton. No change here. A very
:13:41. > :13:44.scrappy game. You made reference to both these teams suffering heavy
:13:45. > :13:48.defeats recently and I am not even sure that they both set out to be
:13:49. > :13:53.overly defensive, but just a lack of quality and composure in the final
:13:54. > :13:57.third. There have been a couple of half chances for Hamilton, one in
:13:58. > :14:01.the first half, where Hamilton tried to chip it. If you minutes ago, a
:14:02. > :14:07.cross into the Kilmarnock penalty area. It was lifted so high over the
:14:08. > :14:11.bar I am pretty certain it finished in the top tier of the stadium. I
:14:12. > :14:16.will be surprised at the moment if either team manages to get a goal. I
:14:17. > :14:21.think there might have been won, but there is not time to catch up. John
:14:22. > :14:31.Barnes is in Paisley watching St Mirren against Alloa. Thank you. 1-1
:14:32. > :14:35.it is and Alloa took the lead courtesy of a controversial penalty
:14:36. > :14:44.as well. It was a shot from Isaac Layne which came off the hand,
:14:45. > :14:49.accidentally more than anything, for Alloa, just add up the other end St
:14:50. > :14:54.Mirren are claiming for a penalty which referee is not going to give.
:14:55. > :14:58.They are incensed. The first one that was given, it didn't look
:14:59. > :15:02.dangerous at all going into the box of St Mirren. It accidentally came
:15:03. > :15:08.off the hand of Watson. It was going well wide. They felt it was given,
:15:09. > :15:12.and Isaac Layne scored it. Keith Watson made amends for that eight
:15:13. > :15:16.minutes before the interval with a lovely touch about 20 yards out. He
:15:17. > :15:21.put it onto his left foot and curled it superbly into the corner of the
:15:22. > :15:25.net. St Mirren have really come back into it in this early second half
:15:26. > :15:30.period. They are pushing to try and take the lead. David Clarkson, on
:15:31. > :15:33.loan from Motherwell, has been invented up front, setting up
:15:34. > :15:46.opportunities for the midfielders to come and support.
:15:47. > :15:53.There now follows a partly political broadcast on behalf of the match
:15:54. > :15:57.officials of Scotland. John Fleming has told us they are on a bit of a
:15:58. > :16:01.downer, because the criticism they get is at times over the top, he
:16:02. > :16:06.thinks. Jonathan Sutherland was at the winter training camp this week
:16:07. > :16:12.and brought back this report. VOICEOVER: Hands up who would be a
:16:13. > :16:20.referee! Are gathering in Spain for an intensive few days honing skills,
:16:21. > :16:25.but according to their boss, it is not always such a convivial
:16:26. > :16:29.atmosphere. There have been times when referees have been really down,
:16:30. > :16:33.because they feel as though the criticism they get is over the top
:16:34. > :16:39.and I would agree. The Scottish Cup semifinal last season, and decision
:16:40. > :16:44.not given, a mistake that can lead to a huge amount of criticism.
:16:45. > :16:47.COMMENTATOR: Was it a handball? Celtic screaming for a penalty!
:16:48. > :16:52.VOICEOVER: Criticism that John Fleming think sometimes goes too
:16:53. > :16:56.far. I would never be obstructive to working with the media but there is
:16:57. > :16:59.a line that can be crossed, it has been crossed several times since I
:17:00. > :17:04.have been in and I am very conscious of that. It is very frustrating,
:17:05. > :17:09.sometimes I get angry, especially the comments that may not be
:17:10. > :17:12.technically sound, especially if the comment that are made of
:17:13. > :17:17.personalised, which they have been recently, that becomes frustrating.
:17:18. > :17:22.What annoys you most, Sunday night, watching sports scene, the pundits
:17:23. > :17:29.going over a refereeing issues. Not annoying but it frustrates me, when
:17:30. > :17:32.they based their decision not on an interpretation of the laws of the
:17:33. > :17:37.game and the referees interpretation... We do not make the
:17:38. > :17:42.laws of the game... We are guided by what the interpretation is. We have
:17:43. > :17:45.to follow these interpretations. It frustrates me on a Sunday when I am
:17:46. > :17:48.watching it and some of the so-called pundits talk about
:17:49. > :17:53.decisions which do not have any basis in the law, which we as
:17:54. > :17:57.referees have two apply. The training camp is all about honing
:17:58. > :18:00.existing refereeing skills, the question now being debated, how much
:18:01. > :18:06.video technology will alter the refereeing landscape. I think there
:18:07. > :18:10.is a lot of challenges in football that are not quite the same
:18:11. > :18:15.challenges as in other sports which have successfully adopted video
:18:16. > :18:19.technology. But as referees, if the technology is there, to help me make
:18:20. > :18:24.better decisions on the field, then why would I not take that? All
:18:25. > :18:32.referees will say that. Do you introduce it at a goal? A red card?
:18:33. > :18:37.Serious foul play? Mistaken identity...? Or, elongated,
:18:38. > :18:41.introduce it at a throw in, a wrong corner kick, a wrong goal kick, a
:18:42. > :18:45.free kick prior to the ball ending up in the next...! You have got to
:18:46. > :18:51.define what it is we want from the assistant referee. -- video
:18:52. > :18:55.assistant. As well as practical sessions, video analysis forms part
:18:56. > :19:00.of the training camp, the aim is to make sure that referees get more of
:19:01. > :19:03.the big decisions right. When they go back it does not mean that all
:19:04. > :19:05.the decisions will be correct because they have had the training
:19:06. > :19:09.camp, there is elements within the game that will always control that
:19:10. > :19:11.but they will practice the situation, they will be ready for
:19:12. > :19:16.it, they will be aware of the situation is, and on practical
:19:17. > :19:20.sessions we have done over the last few days, we should be preparing
:19:21. > :19:26.them for it and that will enhance their decision-making. To her is
:19:27. > :19:29.human, mistakes will happen, Scottish referees think that they
:19:30. > :19:34.are doing everything they can to get things right. -- to err. You seem
:19:35. > :19:39.pretty upbeat! I can understand why people would be surprised by that,
:19:40. > :19:44.but we are very much a group and then up beat group, and many of us
:19:45. > :19:49.are friends away from the field. -- very much a group and we are an
:19:50. > :19:53.upbeat group. There is bonding, there is a time for having a laugh
:19:54. > :19:56.and a joke. The time, the commitment, the efforts these men
:19:57. > :20:01.put in, you have got to be passionate about it, if you were not
:20:02. > :20:05.passionate, you would not do it. STUDIO: We will talk more about
:20:06. > :20:08.referees and refereeing shortly, but first we head back to Paisley, there
:20:09. > :20:17.has been a goal in the match between St Mirren and Alloa. It is for the
:20:18. > :20:21.home team, St Mirren leading 2-0. Good build-up play involving David
:20:22. > :20:26.Clarkson, Shankland had a shot from the 25 yard line, took a deflection
:20:27. > :20:30.from a defender, high into the box. Arriving from the wide area, Calum
:20:31. > :20:35.Gallagher, he got in ahead of the goalkeeper and headed it over the
:20:36. > :20:40.top of Scott Gallagher, in goal, Gallagher scoring for St Mirren
:20:41. > :20:47.against Gallagher of Alloa, the goalkeeper, it is 2-1. Gentleman, a
:20:48. > :20:54.couple of what Rick Thompson would describe as " so-called pundits"...
:20:55. > :20:57.(!) talk about the issues raised in the report, the referees striking
:20:58. > :21:02.back? But in a very polite and measured way. John Fleming says some
:21:03. > :21:09.of the criticism is over the top, do you concur? I think he has a point.
:21:10. > :21:16.I can imagine viewers watching that clip, that feature, referees in
:21:17. > :21:21.Spain, cursing at them, then, of all people, what have they done to
:21:22. > :21:27.deserve that! But I can see the sense in them having a group
:21:28. > :21:36.session. It can be over the top... Going back to Steven MacLean, the
:21:37. > :21:41.semifinal, the handball... It went on and on, we had days of the
:21:42. > :21:50.referee being vilified in the media. I think that... Were you one of
:21:51. > :21:53.those people? At times, I suppose, but John Fleming is talking about
:21:54. > :21:57.not being obstructive to the media, I don't think he is, but he could be
:21:58. > :22:02.doing more, it helps if the media and the referees have more of a
:22:03. > :22:05.relationship, not kept at arm's-length from us. There might
:22:06. > :22:08.not be the inclination to be so heavily critical. But they will
:22:09. > :22:12.still make mistakes. We saw one this week, the booking form Andy
:22:13. > :22:17.Halliday, which leads to his red card. That is a snap judgment that a
:22:18. > :22:23.referee gets badly wrong. But they are ridiculed. And they are
:22:24. > :22:27.criticised for two or three days. Talking about over the top criticism
:22:28. > :22:32.in the media but what about the managers? Do managers crossed that
:22:33. > :22:36.line far too often? I think it is crossed at times but not far too
:22:37. > :22:41.often and I have crossed it, all managers have done. The pressure
:22:42. > :22:44.that comes with what we are doing, the things that you think the
:22:45. > :22:52.referee, the cistern referee could do better. -- the assistant referee.
:22:53. > :23:01.The frustration comes from the lack speaking to them after the game. A
:23:02. > :23:06.bit stand fish will stop we all understand that they make mistakes.
:23:07. > :23:10.Very seldom do somebody up there hand and say, that was wrong. That
:23:11. > :23:15.is the biggest thing for managers and players. -- stand-offish. It is
:23:16. > :23:21.human nature to get things wrong and also to shift the blame elsewhere,
:23:22. > :23:26.you never hear a manager coming out after their team has lost and say,
:23:27. > :23:30.the referee has had a good game(!) semi-time that I have heard a
:23:31. > :23:37.referee saying -- manager saying to the referee after the match, well
:23:38. > :23:42.done. Regardless of the result. We do approach John on a Monday or
:23:43. > :23:48.Tuesday, we rarely get a response, and a positive one, in terms of,
:23:49. > :23:53.that was wrong, and we apologise. Video technology was raised. To the
:23:54. > :24:03.outside observer, video technology can only assist referees, and defuse
:24:04. > :24:06.any controversy for the top teams. Football is the same game at all
:24:07. > :24:11.levels, from the World Cup final to the bottom of the League 2 in
:24:12. > :24:14.Scotland, basically the same at all levels, that is one of the great
:24:15. > :24:18.things about football. You cannot afford the technology on all
:24:19. > :24:22.grounds, that is not reasonable, but these referees, it would protect
:24:23. > :24:29.them if they have that level of back-up, which if they make a
:24:30. > :24:34.mistake, that a fourth official... As long as the technology works.
:24:35. > :24:38.Indeed! It would protect them, they may still make a mistake, but if it
:24:39. > :24:42.is rectified in a matter of seconds and does not become the big issue
:24:43. > :24:47.that rumbled on for the next days in the media... The next story will be
:24:48. > :24:52.transfers and the transfer window, we will take a couple of moments to
:24:53. > :24:55.consider that, comings and goings, the transfer window closes at the
:24:56. > :24:59.start of next week, it has ugly been a vintage window, come to think of
:25:00. > :25:07.it, I cannot remember such a thing(!) -- it has hardly been a
:25:08. > :25:12.vintage window. This fellow, a lover of fashion and the arts by all
:25:13. > :25:16.accounts, although he's just wearing the traditional hoops there are, at
:25:17. > :25:31.Celtic Park, being paraded, do you like the cut of his jib? Difficult
:25:32. > :25:37.window, they have a lot to play for, frustration for the European side,
:25:38. > :25:43.great chance of retaining the title. Players of his quality will not hurt
:25:44. > :25:51.that. A player brought in for the Champions League qualifiers next
:25:52. > :25:55.season, you would imagine. 1.5 million, reasonably affordable, he's
:25:56. > :25:59.good age, and certainly scope for him to develop and be one of these
:26:00. > :26:03.guys that they can sell on down the line for a considerable profit, he
:26:04. > :26:08.has played at a good level, the Danish national side, and maybe it
:26:09. > :26:14.is an acknowledgement that Dedryck Boyata has not worked as well as
:26:15. > :26:23.they would have hoped. So bringing in Erik Sviatchenko is not a bad
:26:24. > :26:27.idea, perhaps they will be using him alongside Jozo Simunovi . The
:26:28. > :26:33.alongside Jozo Simunovic. The teenage winger on loan from
:26:34. > :26:37.Manchester City, Patrick Roberts, they are getting in for nothing for
:26:38. > :26:43.18 months, looks like good business, Manchester City page 12 million from
:26:44. > :26:50.Fulham. There is a lot of players that do not want to come up here. --
:26:51. > :26:59.paid. To get him on a long loan is a great piece of business for Celtic.
:27:00. > :27:02.But now he has two produce. James Forrest, thinking about a new
:27:03. > :27:09.contract, Gary Mackay-Steven is as well... And Nesbitt in the reserve
:27:10. > :27:13.side, the under 20s side, getting a lot of good publicity. It is an
:27:14. > :27:18.interesting one, the ?12 million figure sounds impressive to us, but
:27:19. > :27:23.remember how much they spend in England! It is not that significant,
:27:24. > :27:26.however, Patrick Roberts is very highly rated in the English national
:27:27. > :27:34.youth setup, Trevor Brooking hopes he will be plain for England in Euro
:27:35. > :27:38.2020. A couple coming in, but on his way out, temporarily, Anthony
:27:39. > :27:44.Stokes, he has joined Hibernian. Looks like exceptional business from
:27:45. > :27:49.the Hibernian point of view. Yes, a lot of talk around the Burnie on for
:27:50. > :27:52.a while about Anthony Stokes joining them, a lot of fans may be thought
:27:53. > :27:57.it was never going to happen, it took a while, but it has happened.
:27:58. > :28:05.He scores goals, he has scored goals at every level. I think that the
:28:06. > :28:12.comes with a bit of a reputation. Not perhaps as bad as what people
:28:13. > :28:16.would like to think. He's not type of guy to cause disruption. Richard
:28:17. > :28:19.Wilson bringing disruption to our discussion, but it is good
:28:20. > :28:23.disruption, he has a goal in the match between Kilmarnock and
:28:24. > :28:27.Hamilton, standing by to describe it for us. I was very much enjoying
:28:28. > :28:31.that discussion but finally we have a breakthrough, Ali Crowfoot corner
:28:32. > :28:35.kick, deep into the penalty area, Carlton Morrison has risen above his
:28:36. > :28:39.marker and got the last touch to head it into the roof of the net,
:28:40. > :28:44.1-0, Hamilton. More from him as the show goes on, now, let's talk about
:28:45. > :28:56.the transfer activity at Rangers, quite a surprise this week, Billy
:28:57. > :29:02.King, joining on loan from hearts. Quite shocking, yes, good signing,
:29:03. > :29:05.good move for Billy as well. Heart of Midlothian have so many good
:29:06. > :29:09.young players, and it is difficult to give them gametime in that
:29:10. > :29:14.position. Top of the championship, huge club, getting some gametime at
:29:15. > :29:19.that level is a win-win for himself and for Heart of Midlothian and for
:29:20. > :29:24.Rangers. Catch your breath, I will take time out to welcome any late
:29:25. > :29:30.coming viewers, and those who may have nodded off... Wake up! We do
:29:31. > :29:33.not have a big interactive screen or anything but we have decent banter
:29:34. > :29:43.from journalist Michael Grant and Ian Murray, former Hibs and Rangers.
:29:44. > :29:44.Here is a look at the latest scores, and a summary of the spineless, I'm
:29:45. > :31:10.afraid. Without any further ado, let's head
:31:11. > :31:17.to Tynecastle. There has been a goal in the semifinal of the League Cup
:31:18. > :31:20.between Hibernian and St Johnstone. Hibernian are back in front, John
:31:21. > :31:24.McGinn with a left foot strike from 22 yards, drilling the goal beyond
:31:25. > :31:28.Alan Matheson into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal. Jason
:31:29. > :31:33.Cummings with a disputed penalty earlier on, but a fantastic
:31:34. > :31:42.Shaughnessy header drew St Johnstone level. It wouldn't be Saturday
:31:43. > :31:47.afternoon without the voice of Brian MacLachlan and it would be either
:31:48. > :31:52.without hearing from Scott Davie. We are into the last 15 minutes and it
:31:53. > :31:56.is 2-1 to Motherwell, goals from Chris Cadden and Stephen Pearson. In
:31:57. > :32:00.between those, Paul McGowan getting his first of the season for Dundee.
:32:01. > :32:05.Pretty much all dandy in the second half and a couple of bits of
:32:06. > :32:09.outrageous skill almost getting the equaliser, first a lobbed effort
:32:10. > :32:13.from the edge of the penalty area and then with a shot which reached
:32:14. > :32:18.Connor Ripley but clipped the edge of the post. They have just brought
:32:19. > :32:28.on our tour row, on loan from Cordoba. He has had a couple of nice
:32:29. > :32:32.touches so far. Richard Wilson is watching this afternoon's other
:32:33. > :32:37.Premiership match between Kilmarnock and Hamilton at Rugby Park. Some
:32:38. > :32:42.desperation to the home side's attacking. Ali Crawford delivered a
:32:43. > :32:47.corner into the penalty area and Morris hit it into the corner of the
:32:48. > :32:51.net. Before then, Kilmarnock had a couple of chances, a Kris Boyd free
:32:52. > :33:00.kick bouncing off the crossbar. But it remains 1-0 to Hamilton. Off to
:33:01. > :33:09.Paisley for an update on St Mirren against Alloa. It is still St Mirren
:33:10. > :33:12.2, Alloa 1. Despite Alloa taking the lead through Isaac Layne, Keith
:33:13. > :33:16.Watson and Alan Gallagher has put these things in front of these
:33:17. > :33:24.nobles. There has been another booking, Dougie of Alloa. There have
:33:25. > :33:32.been numerous problems for St Mirren. The ball is headed over the
:33:33. > :33:37.top of the crossbar from Jack beard. We will be having updates from
:33:38. > :33:42.Tynecastle and that League Cup semifinal between St Johnstone and
:33:43. > :33:46.Hibernian through the programme. The second League Cup semifinal is at
:33:47. > :33:51.the national stadium tomorrow. It is live on BBC One Scotland between
:33:52. > :33:54.cup-holders Ross County and Celtic. If previous matches between these
:33:55. > :34:00.sides this season are anything to be gone by, one would imagine most folk
:34:01. > :34:07.tipping Celtic to be on top. Here we have the first game of the season,
:34:08. > :34:12.Celtic winning 2-0 at home to Ross County. They will probably always be
:34:13. > :34:16.favourites. I spoke to Jim McIntyre during the week and he was
:34:17. > :34:20.reflecting on these two games. He was quite pleased with the number of
:34:21. > :34:24.chances which Ross County made, and that was a controversial moment in
:34:25. > :34:29.the first game when it felt that Craig Gordon should have been sent
:34:30. > :34:33.off and he was only booked. So I think Jim McIntyre is coming down to
:34:34. > :34:38.the game tomorrow with a degree of confidence. We also know that the
:34:39. > :34:43.Celtic record at Hampden Park is surprisingly patchy over the last
:34:44. > :34:47.five or six years. I don't think Jim would take much confidence from the
:34:48. > :34:52.meeting between Ross County and Celtic at Dingwall, which was a much
:34:53. > :34:57.more convincing win for Celtic. This was never a great time to get
:34:58. > :35:00.Celtic, but I think this timing is particularly hard. Celtic seem to
:35:01. > :35:04.have raised their game. I don't know if it is the fear of players coming
:35:05. > :35:10.in to replace those ones that they haven't, but for Ross County to come
:35:11. > :35:14.and win it will be a very hard asked. That isn't to say they can't
:35:15. > :35:24.do it. When they are underdogs, they can win. Leigh Griffiths scoring
:35:25. > :35:30.there, he is in aid to vein of form at the moment. -- he is in a
:35:31. > :35:37.tremendous vein of form. There are reports that they are interested in
:35:38. > :35:41.Carlton Cole, they have got Carlton Cole, Nadir Ciftci, but so far
:35:42. > :35:45.Griffiths has seen off everybody at Celtic. They didn't re-sign him with
:35:46. > :35:53.us thinking he would be the first choice centre forward, but he has
:35:54. > :35:55.made that. Griffiths has been in the form of his career. He has been
:35:56. > :36:01.made that. Griffiths has been in the terrific. You alluded to Ross County
:36:02. > :36:05.being able to choke Celtic before. Most of us remember 2010, the
:36:06. > :36:09.semifinal of the Scottish Cup, one of the biggest surprises in the
:36:10. > :36:15.competition's history. Ross County, a First Division club. That really
:36:16. > :36:20.underlined the shop element. Nowadays, we are more familiar with
:36:21. > :36:26.Ross County being a top-flight team. They are fourth in the league. --
:36:27. > :36:31.the shock element. Liam Boyce might come back in, who has been terrific
:36:32. > :36:37.all season. If you include that one, that is six years ago, but they have
:36:38. > :36:41.lost to St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Kathy Thistle in semifinals or finals at
:36:42. > :36:47.Hampden Park, Celtic, all of which they went into as favourites. When
:36:48. > :36:52.you look at Ross County, this time last season, they were bottom of the
:36:53. > :36:55.Premiership. Now, as Michael says, they are looking good, they are
:36:56. > :36:59.informed, they are still going well in the Scottish Cup. Jim and I have
:37:00. > :37:05.done a remarkable job. He went in there from the start and he took a
:37:06. > :37:09.feud games to get to the January window to freshen things up and he
:37:10. > :37:14.got the resources for that. -- a few games. They are fourth in the
:37:15. > :37:18.league, not far behind Hearts and Aberdeen. Huge credit to Jim and his
:37:19. > :37:21.staff and the players for the way they have managed to not just turn
:37:22. > :37:27.it round but to maintain the challenge. Let's hear what he has
:37:28. > :37:33.got to say for himself. We are facing a team who have got real
:37:34. > :37:37.confidence and are scoring goals freely. Most of their players seem
:37:38. > :37:40.on the button at the moment. We will have to bring a level of performance
:37:41. > :37:45.which is right up there to win, but I know we are capable of beating any
:37:46. > :37:49.team on the day and I've got a firm belief in the group of players. We
:37:50. > :37:56.will have to defend well, to be solid and compact, and also still
:37:57. > :37:59.carry the fight of putting the ball away upfront. That is how they do
:38:00. > :38:08.it. That is the game plan. Tight at the back. Every club has a game plan
:38:09. > :38:13.against Celtic. I have been at most recent Celtic games, against
:38:14. > :38:17.Stranraer and Dundee United. They thrashed Hamilton and maybe St
:38:18. > :38:21.Johnstone will be a harder task, but they were convincing. St Johnstone
:38:22. > :38:25.and Ross County, they are pretty comparable teams, well-organised.
:38:26. > :38:31.Celtic have just clicked at the moment. If that continues, they will
:38:32. > :38:39.win again. They captain played for Bradford. Would it be much of a
:38:40. > :38:45.surprise if Celtic -- if County beat Celtic? It would be disrespectful to
:38:46. > :38:49.say that Ross County going to the game and nobody gives them a chance.
:38:50. > :38:53.They are a good side, as the table shows. They will go to Glasgow
:38:54. > :38:57.tomorrow firmly believing they can win. No question about that. It will
:38:58. > :39:04.be a tough ask, but we can't write Ross County. Ross County take on
:39:05. > :39:09.junior side Linlithgow rose in the last 16 of the William Hill Scottish
:39:10. > :39:13.Cup next week. The West Lothian club are the first junior team to reach
:39:14. > :39:18.that stage and they got there by beating League 1 Forfar 1-0 in extra
:39:19. > :39:24.time. The goal was scored five minutes from time by Kevin Kelbie.
:39:25. > :39:29.He is a dog walker during the day. I am going to meet him and walked the
:39:30. > :39:33.dogs next week. It wasn't a walk in the park for them, and neither has
:39:34. > :39:37.the Scottish Cup beam. It has been an epic. They have travelled 2000
:39:38. > :39:40.miles, going all over the country, they have had to deal with
:39:41. > :39:44.postponements and abandonment and, at the end of that, they get the
:39:45. > :39:50.reward of travelling to Dingwall to face Ross County. It is a great
:39:51. > :39:52.opportunity. I was up at the game during the week and they probably
:39:53. > :39:58.deserved to win it. There wasn't a lot in it from different leagues,
:39:59. > :40:04.the juniors in the League 1s. Fantastic for them. It is a great
:40:05. > :40:08.story, the first junior team to get this far in the competition, guys
:40:09. > :40:13.who work so hard just to play part-time football and then they
:40:14. > :40:17.have got a fantastic opportunity. Hopefully, it will be tough against
:40:18. > :40:24.Ross County, because Jim is at the game as well, so he isn't dismissing
:40:25. > :40:30.them. But great. Flying the flag for the junior game. It strikes me that
:40:31. > :40:36.Jonathan gets a trip to Spain with the referees and you go dog walking
:40:37. > :40:43.in Linlithgow. And I am allergic to dogs! Do you fancy their chances at
:40:44. > :40:49.all? A shot in the dark? I'd be surprised. They have had this
:40:50. > :40:52.horrendously unlucky cup campaign, the fact that they keep getting
:40:53. > :40:56.through and getting these unfortunate drawers, I can't see
:40:57. > :41:01.them coming through that one. Ian, any chance? They have always got a
:41:02. > :41:07.chance but that is a tough one for them. Especially up there. A wee
:41:08. > :41:12.treat for you in the shape of some match action from this week's Friday
:41:13. > :41:18.night football, with the chance to venture into League 1. Dunfermline
:41:19. > :41:24.and lost a league match since September. It was the Diamonds who
:41:25. > :41:30.prevailed, just one goal in the game, scored by Jamie Bain. A real
:41:31. > :41:38.surprise, this one. The first defeat in a long while. I suppose it was
:41:39. > :41:42.always going to come, but not many people expected them to lose at home
:41:43. > :41:47.last night. I think Airdrie are now forth. They also announced last
:41:48. > :41:51.night that they are going to return to full-time football next season
:41:52. > :41:57.after six years as part-timers, so that is good. We may turn to
:41:58. > :42:03.discussion of League 1, but right now we are back to Dundee against
:42:04. > :42:06.Motherwell. A penalty to Dundee has been converted by Kane Hemmings for
:42:07. > :42:10.his 10th goal in the last seven games. Extreme in total now for the
:42:11. > :42:17.former Cowdenbeath and Barnsley striker. -- 16 in total. It was
:42:18. > :42:22.controversial, certainly if you are a Motherwell supporter. He
:42:23. > :42:30.complained bitterly, but the referee was adamant that there had been a
:42:31. > :42:37.hold. John Hemmings sending Connor Ripley the wrong way. Before we go
:42:38. > :42:47.back to League 1, let's talk about Kane Hemmings. He is a fine run of
:42:48. > :42:51.form. The last ten games. Stating the obvious, that makes a
:42:52. > :42:56.difference. If you have a consistent goal-scorer, and a few of the teams
:42:57. > :43:00.have them in this season, Boyce, Griffiths at Aberdeen, and Hemmings
:43:01. > :43:07.has been delivering for Paul Hartley. We were talking about
:43:08. > :43:11.League 1 before. Dunfermline certainly have been delivering. It
:43:12. > :43:19.looked as though they were coasting. But the ball came off the wheels at
:43:20. > :43:23.Airdrie. They were cruising that division by the looks of things. But
:43:24. > :43:28.it gives other teams a chance if they can capitalise. They have a
:43:29. > :43:32.game in hand, their game was postponed today, which isn't great
:43:33. > :43:38.for them. There is not a huge advantage to Dunfermline. Certainly
:43:39. > :43:46.something for every and other teams to hang onto. Advantage Dunfermline
:43:47. > :43:57.in League 1. Hibernian are leading St Johnstone 2-1. The John McGinn
:43:58. > :44:02.strike, terrific, it was, giving Alan Manus no chance in the St
:44:03. > :44:05.Johnstone goal. St Johnstone have thrown on all three substitutes to
:44:06. > :44:10.try and get an equaliser to take the game into extra time, and who knows
:44:11. > :44:13.what happens after that? They are on the attack again. It will be a
:44:14. > :44:18.corner kick to St Johnstone. They are piling continuous pressure on
:44:19. > :44:24.this Hibernian goal to try and get an equaliser. Turned a half minutes
:44:25. > :44:29.left at Tynecastle. Off to Rugby Park to hear from Richard Wilson
:44:30. > :44:33.again. He is watching Kilmarnock against Hamilton. A pattern now,
:44:34. > :44:39.Kilmarnock pushing uphill, trying to find an equaliser. The substitute
:44:40. > :44:42.shot over the bar from inside the penalty area. A couple of moments
:44:43. > :44:49.ago, Hamilton should have extended their lead. He screwed the ball for
:44:50. > :44:56.Dougie Imrie and he put a shot over the bar. Kilmarnock are applying
:44:57. > :45:01.pressure. Into the Championship and we are going to Paisley for St
:45:02. > :45:07.Mirren against Alloa. It is still the same score. Keith Watson and
:45:08. > :45:10.Calum Gallagher the goal-scorers, cancelling out the early strike from
:45:11. > :45:14.Isaac Layne from the penalty spot. With less than four minutes to go,
:45:15. > :45:22.Alloa are trying to find a way back. They have utilised all substitutes
:45:23. > :45:25.will stop Robbie Crawford is darting forward on numerous occasions for
:45:26. > :45:30.Alloa, the former Rangers player, but he has not found a way past the
:45:31. > :45:35.St Mirren defence. St Mirren have brought on defender Gary Irvine and
:45:36. > :45:42.taken off a striker. They are trying to shore things up at the back. I
:45:43. > :45:47.must come from -- contemplate you on how calm you are being. St Johnstone
:45:48. > :45:55.throwing everything at Hibs in the closing stages, but what is your
:45:56. > :45:59.intuition? I think Hibs will hold on and progress to the final. But St
:46:00. > :46:04.Johnstone are putting a lot of pressure on them at the moment. If
:46:05. > :46:08.we see your head dropping into your hands, we know they have equalised.
:46:09. > :46:12.You must be impressed by what is happening with Hibernian, there is
:46:13. > :46:18.talk of the treble. They are going well on all fronts. They are doing
:46:19. > :46:21.fine. It is vital to get back in the top league. That is the most
:46:22. > :46:25.important thing. A potential cup final will take care of itself, as
:46:26. > :46:31.it always does. A huge game next week against Hearts. They slightly
:46:32. > :46:36.going as underdogs and I think maybe they can calm things down. Nobody
:46:37. > :46:39.really expects Hibs to go to Tynecastle and dominate a game of
:46:40. > :46:43.football, which is what they expected every day in the league.
:46:44. > :46:47.They can relax a bit. They are still playing in the semifinal. But it is
:46:48. > :46:54.all over in the Premiership encounter between Dundee and
:46:55. > :47:02.Motherwell. Kane Hemmings, his 16th goal of the season from the penalty
:47:03. > :47:07.spot. The home side dominated in the second half. A day of mixed fortunes
:47:08. > :47:12.for Motherwell, with Chris Cadden opening the scoring in just four
:47:13. > :47:16.minutes, with a goal of real skill, controlling the cross from Marvin
:47:17. > :47:20.Johnson on the left on his chest and steering it into the top corner of
:47:21. > :47:24.the net, although Paul Hartley will be unhappy with the poor defending
:47:25. > :47:29.which left him with such space. It was Captain's challenge on another
:47:30. > :47:35.player which led to the award of the penalty, and Hemmings converted. He
:47:36. > :47:40.shot a couple in the week against Falkirk in the Scottish Cup. It is
:47:41. > :47:48.now ten in his last seven games. A valuable addition he has been to the
:47:49. > :47:52.side. Greg Stewart was his real team make, that initial partnership which
:47:53. > :47:57.gave him a pass through to Paul McGowan allowing him to score and
:47:58. > :48:02.level things up. Stephen Pearson giving Motherwell the lead in a game
:48:03. > :48:05.which was really end to end and entertaining stuff, despite the snow
:48:06. > :48:13.flurries and the bitter wind. Pearson driving through the middle
:48:14. > :48:17.of that Dundee defence. Both goalkeepers, Scott Bain for Dundee
:48:18. > :48:20.and Connor Ripley for Motherwell, making important saves at that
:48:21. > :48:26.stage. In the second half, Dundee pushed forward, Gary Harkins twice
:48:27. > :48:29.going close to getting an equaliser. But it looked as though they had run
:48:30. > :48:34.out of ideas and time before that penalty came dramatically at the
:48:35. > :48:39.end. In stoppage time, our tour row, the Spanish striker, bought in on
:48:40. > :48:45.loan, may be -- nearly managed to get three points. Connor Ripley
:48:46. > :48:48.diving to his right to push it behind for a corner to make sure
:48:49. > :48:52.Motherwell at least took something from this game.
:48:53. > :48:57.Looking at the league table, you may disagree with me but that looks like
:48:58. > :49:01.a much better point for Dundee, getting them into the top six,
:49:02. > :49:07.whereas Motherwell are in a bit of a sticky situation. Hard one for
:49:08. > :49:10.Motherwell, winning so late in the game, just coming off the back of
:49:11. > :49:15.losing to Ross County, and losing heavily at Tynecastle. They should
:49:16. > :49:22.not be too downcast about a draw at dens park. What an introduction for
:49:23. > :49:36.Billy King, neither scored. 90 minute! -- he has scored. We have
:49:37. > :49:42.touched on how bad I move it was earlier. He has repaid it
:49:43. > :49:57.straightaway. -- how big a move it was not Craig Burton as a knack for
:49:58. > :50:01.bringing in players that do well. Players like Gary Mackay playing
:50:02. > :50:10.better than last season. This in fact has been instant. Does this
:50:11. > :50:16.mean they will not pursue O'Hara? Similar type of player, quite a bit
:50:17. > :50:21.of distance between the bid and what St Johnstone were looking for. The
:50:22. > :50:27.deadline is on Monday night, they may still make a move, they did not
:50:28. > :50:33.get the target they wanted so far. He went to Leeds. O'Hara they have
:50:34. > :50:38.not got. If he is a back-up, he has been a pretty good one so far! --
:50:39. > :50:54.Mark Warburton. Dumbarton at home against Livingston.
:50:55. > :51:03.It had been a horrendous match in terms of conditions. Difficult to
:51:04. > :51:09.control on the ground, never mind the air. A comedy of errors in the
:51:10. > :51:17.first half, the Livingston side hoping it was conducive. Dumbarton
:51:18. > :51:21.took the initiative, and try to push forward. Awarded a corner, Mark
:51:22. > :51:28.Doherty stepped up, and scored. Second from the corner flag in only
:51:29. > :51:35.a month! Conditions may have played a part but they all count. The wind
:51:36. > :51:40.improved into the second half but the scoreline did not living in. The
:51:41. > :51:44.big match is over, League Cup semifinal between Hibernian and St
:51:45. > :51:50.Johnstone, we will look at how it finished. 2-1, the Easter Road club
:51:51. > :51:56.through to the League Cup final on Sunday, March 13. Courtesy of a
:51:57. > :52:02.magnificent strike by John McGinn in the second half, played into the
:52:03. > :52:07.box, 22 yards out, drilling it beyond Alan Mannus in the goal, they
:52:08. > :52:16.took the lead through a controversial penalty kick,
:52:17. > :52:25.excellently put away by Cummings. Before Hibernian were put back in
:52:26. > :52:33.front. And amazing save was pulled off from Joe Shaughnessy, deep into
:52:34. > :52:45.stoppage time. Lifted the cup in 2007, they have dreams of doing so
:52:46. > :52:52.again, it finished 2-1. Full-time in the Premiership match between
:52:53. > :53:00.Kilmarnock and Hamilton, Hamilton hanging on for the win. Very little
:53:01. > :53:05.quality on show, very few chances, forgiveable given what is at stake.
:53:06. > :53:10.A header from the corner from Crawford was the only goal of the
:53:11. > :53:16.game. Chris Boyd hit the crossbar but Hamilton should have added to
:53:17. > :53:19.their lead late on in the game. The final whistle was greeted by a
:53:20. > :53:22.chorus of boos from the home fans, they were not happy with what they
:53:23. > :53:30.saw, Hamilton move further clear at the bottom of the Premier League --
:53:31. > :53:36.Premiership. St Mirren against Alloa Athletic, is it all over? It is now,
:53:37. > :53:40.St Mirren have won by 3-1, for only their fifth league win of the
:53:41. > :53:48.season, their first on home soil this term. They came from behind to
:53:49. > :53:52.do it. Keith Washington was guilty of conceding a penalty with a
:53:53. > :54:06.handball. Made amends eight minutes before the interval. Gallagher put
:54:07. > :54:10.St Mirren to 2-1 in front. A looping header over the top of the Alloa
:54:11. > :54:15.Athletic goalkeeper. Three minutes into stoppage time, Stevie Mallan,
:54:16. > :54:20.eighth goal of the season, wrapping it up for the buddies, corner kick
:54:21. > :54:22.to Alloa Athletic, looking for an equaliser, cleared away by St
:54:23. > :54:28.Mirren, dropped on the halfway line, tried a pass back, short with it,
:54:29. > :54:32.and there was Stevie Mallan pouncing and running a good 30 yards towards
:54:33. > :54:38.goal and then slotting it in the bottom right-hand corner. A victory
:54:39. > :54:47.for the Paisley side, first home league win of the season, first home
:54:48. > :54:55.league win since May 16, last year. Good day for all of your former
:54:56. > :55:00.teams! Starting with the Burnie on, another cup final, fantastic, great
:55:01. > :55:04.achievement by the players and the management. The Burnie and always
:55:05. > :55:12.say, the feel-good factor, it continues for them, fantastic. --
:55:13. > :55:17.Hibernian. Revelation at Hibernian, he has been good at St Mirren but
:55:18. > :55:23.even better at Easter Road. He has been terrific. We talk about him and
:55:24. > :55:29.family strikers they have and family goal-scorers they have but he can
:55:30. > :55:35.chip in from midfield. We always talk about Hibernian as dreadful in
:55:36. > :55:39.the Scottish Cup, but in the League Cup, they do not have that pressure,
:55:40. > :55:46.the media build-up about the bad record. They won it in 2007. They
:55:47. > :55:52.will fancy themselves. Knocking out three Premiership sides on the wane.
:55:53. > :55:56.A really tough run, in terms of the draw, both Aberdeen and Dundee
:55:57. > :56:02.United... The Aberdeen game was not a great game, to be perfectly
:56:03. > :56:08.honest, it was not a high-quality match, Aberdeen were slightly below
:56:09. > :56:14.par and Hibernian capitalised. Rangers have beaten Falkirk, 1-0, 90
:56:15. > :56:17.minute goal from Billy King, that is a wheelie significant result for
:56:18. > :56:22.Rangers. Putting quite a bit of distance between them and Falkirk.
:56:23. > :56:27.And maybe we will see the Bernie and consolidate as the main challenger
:56:28. > :56:31.to them. Big win for them, Rangers will win that league. It is more
:56:32. > :56:35.interesting about what is at the bottom of the Premiership. That is
:56:36. > :56:39.what I was going to come to, good win for Hamilton, but it is alarm
:56:40. > :56:47.bells ringing even louder at Rugby Park. I think so, home defeat
:56:48. > :56:54.against the team directly above you, a blow at any stage of the season.
:56:55. > :57:02.The fans will be unhappy, again, especially at home, looking at the
:57:03. > :57:07.lead, that tight... -- looking at the league. Postponements, some
:57:08. > :57:11.teams have games in hand but from Dalmarnock in 11 to Dundee, St
:57:12. > :57:17.Johnstone, actually, fifth, only seven points in it. -- kill Marnoch.
:57:18. > :57:24.If United win their two games in hand, they are only five points
:57:25. > :57:29.behind kill Marnoch. It is a huge if but last week they got that terrific
:57:30. > :57:35.result against kill Marnoch. There is a bit of a bounce -- kill
:57:36. > :57:54.Marnoch. -- Kilmarnock. They have a chance to
:57:55. > :58:03.close it even further. Huge if to win both these games in hand. They
:58:04. > :58:09.will give themselves a fighting chance. Can may perform the miracle?
:58:10. > :58:12.I would not rule it out, gave themselves a fighting chance, it is
:58:13. > :58:17.about momentum and confidence from teams at that end, at the moment you
:58:18. > :58:22.would not fancy Kilmarnock, the place feels flat. You do not want to
:58:23. > :58:27.have a play-off against possibly... Rangers or Hibs or Falkirk... You do
:58:28. > :58:35.not want a play-off against any of these clubs! Very hard games. If
:58:36. > :58:38.they get into the final of the play-offs, that team is on a high,
:58:39. > :58:43.it is they managed to get there, over a 2-legged game, they can
:58:44. > :58:50.produce anything on the day. The bottom two? Get out your crystal
:58:51. > :58:54.ball(!) I would be surprised if Dundee United finished out of the
:58:55. > :58:57.bottom two but I can still seek all Monica going down automatically.
:58:58. > :59:02.Teams have pulled together runs, Partick Thistle on a great run. --
:59:03. > :59:08.but I can still see Kilmarnock going down automatically. You win two or
:59:09. > :59:12.three games, you can get six or nine points, makes a massive difference.
:59:13. > :59:16.Motherwell and Partick will be all right, Hamilton have put a bit of
:59:17. > :59:21.distance between themselves and United today, 16 points between them
:59:22. > :59:25.and the bottom place. As we were saying, depends how you go into the
:59:26. > :59:28.play-off, if Dundee United finish in the play-off position suddenly,
:59:29. > :59:33.having been bottom four months, they will go into it with a huge lift. Go
:59:34. > :00:33.into the classified round-up, right now.
:00:34. > :00:36.The match between Dunfermline and Airdrieonians of course played last
:00:37. > :02:51.night. Is time for a look at the league
:02:52. > :02:56.tables. No real movement, because a lot of the League Cup teams playing
:02:57. > :03:16.today. After that late win over Falkirk,
:03:17. > :03:19.congratulations to Rangers, they are eight points clear, but Hibernian
:03:20. > :03:24.will not be too disappointed, after beating St Johnstone, they are
:03:25. > :03:26.through to the League Cup final. First win of the season at home for
:03:27. > :04:10.the team in second bottom. There we have it, the league tables,
:04:11. > :04:13.gentlemen, and now, we can have a look at the goal action from the
:04:14. > :04:17.League Cup semifinal at Tynecastle, the Bernie and ran out 2-1 winners.
:04:18. > :04:30.The penalty incident, controversial... -- the Bernie and
:04:31. > :04:37.-- Hibernian. The match was won by John McGinn, with a strike in the
:04:38. > :04:43.second half, making it 2-1. Excellent goal to round it off.
:04:44. > :04:47.Doing well to keep your eye on the match while talking to me at the
:04:48. > :04:54.same time, Ian, I am going to try to get an objective view, did Hibernian
:04:55. > :05:00.deserve it? They shaded it, they did not dominate the game, I would not
:05:01. > :05:08.say that, St Johnstone were unlucky, they hit the bar. Thought they could
:05:09. > :05:14.have done a wee bit more. Overall, it Bernie and deserved to go
:05:15. > :05:26.through. Do you agree? -- Hibernian. Crowded down, John McGinn, he did
:05:27. > :05:32.well to do that. A great goal to win it, for Hibernian. They meet the
:05:33. > :05:36.winners of Ross County and Celtic, tomorrow. The other goal-scorer for
:05:37. > :05:47.Hibs, Jason Cummings, remarkable season. Vital player. Consistent
:05:48. > :05:52.goal-scorer, great record. Shows that he does it in the big games,
:05:53. > :05:58.when there is pressure on, Winnie is marked very closely, he is a
:05:59. > :06:04.handful. If it is Celtic they face in the final, interesting. St
:06:05. > :06:07.Johnstone out of the Scottish Cup and the League Cup, now time to
:06:08. > :06:12.focus on the league and try to work their way up further towards the
:06:13. > :06:16.top. Definitely, they will be hugely disappointed in terms of losing the
:06:17. > :06:20.game but it is not as though the season is gone for them, there is
:06:21. > :06:29.now an opportunity to push four teams above them. Strong bunch in
:06:30. > :06:36.terms of the between players and management, plenty to play. White
:06:37. > :06:42.the treble, it is still on, you have got to mention the horrendous record
:06:43. > :06:46.Hibs have in the Scottish Cup but is the trouble on? If it is Ross County
:06:47. > :06:50.they would fancy themselves, they would also think they can give
:06:51. > :06:54.Celtic a game, if it is them in the final, they are a good side, and
:06:55. > :06:57.Alan Stubbs has been really impressive this season, I think,
:06:58. > :07:03.they are still going on three fronts. The man management skills,
:07:04. > :07:09.Stokes, it seems Alan Stubbs has what is required to manage him. Yes,
:07:10. > :07:17.definitely, the way he has got them going, it is a big season for the
:07:18. > :07:22.Bernie, and Alan Stubbs... They have recruited really well. In the summer
:07:23. > :07:28.and in January. -- Hibernian. They have had to spend money to do that,
:07:29. > :07:31.getting to the final, clawing back some of that money, to a certain
:07:32. > :07:36.extent, that perhaps we'll let them do more in the summer. Would you
:07:37. > :07:41.want Ross County in the final, as a span? People may say that it is an
:07:42. > :07:46.easier game but in final you very rarely get an easy game, and for
:07:47. > :07:51.Hibernian just to get there, the occasion, and the potential chance
:07:52. > :07:56.to win it, that is a huge boost. Ross County and Celtic tomorrow, PDF
:07:57. > :08:01.and see? Celtic, you have to fancy Celtic, for all we have said about
:08:02. > :08:06.their patchy record at Hampden, you have got to fancy Celtic. Time to
:08:07. > :08:09.remind you that you can watch live coverage of the League Cup semifinal
:08:10. > :08:15.tomorrow, coverage beginning at 2:35pm. You can also see highlights
:08:16. > :08:19.of that. The semifinal between St Johnstone and Hibs, and league
:08:20. > :08:26.action, what there was of it, tomorrow, 10:30pm, with Jonathan.
:08:27. > :08:32.And we are in Edinburgh later, for the off the Ball Saturday
:08:33. > :08:37.supplement, give them a call. Please go easy on Stewart after his side's
:08:38. > :08:43.defeat in the League Cup semifinal(!) that is it from us,
:08:44. > :08:49.thank you very much to the guests and thank you to you for watching,
:08:50. > :08:52.enjoy the rest of your evening, and we will see you soon, take care.