Kirk wants to make amends

MARK BONTHRONE

STRIKER Andy Kirk today admitted Hearts only had themselves to blame for not taking something from Sunday’s game against Dundee United.

The Jambos passed up a string of excellent opportunities to at least take a share of the spoils as they went down 2-1 on Tayside with Kirk himself guilty of spurning two good chances.

And the Northern Ireland internationalist says that rather than feeling sorry for themselves the Gorgie outfit must look at the way in which they began the game and look to change it when they again travel to the City of Discovery tomorrow evening - this time to face Dundee in the CIS League Cup quarter-finals.

"We had chances but had we started the game the way we finished it I think we could have won the game," said Kirk.

"I had one cleared off the line and then the keeper’s made a great save from a header and Mark [De Vries] and Kevin [McKenna] have both come close but the game was lost in the opening stages.

"Some people were talking about a hangover from the Bordeaux game but I’m not sure that had anything to do with it. It just wasn’t meant to be in the end but had we started better we wouldn’t have been reliant on trying to come back.

"The gaffer wasn’t pleased with the first-half performance and said that by going 2-0 down we had given ourselves a mountain to climb.

"Coming off the back of a defeat we’ll be looking to do things right this time round and we’re all looking forward to what should be a good game" - Andy Kirk

"Maybe the attitude wasn’t right and Dundee United were up for it because they needed points but by the time we got going we were 2-0 down.

"It was a bit disappointing because we had the opportunity to go nine points clear in third place but we obviously didn’t take that chance."

Tomorrow’s game against Dundee gives Craig Levein’s men the perfect opportunity to bounce back and Kirk says that the Jambos have to focus on their own game and forget about the financial problems of their opponents as they look to book their place in the last four.

"Coming off the back of a defeat we will be looking to do things right this time round and we are all looking forward to what should be a good game. What’s going on at Dundee doesn’t have anything to do with us and although it’s disappointing to see what is happening up there we just have to focus on ourselves.

"It is a big game with a place in the semi-finals at stake and we have to look to win the game and can’t let anything distract us."

Kirk could well have a big part to play in deciding the outcome of the game against Jim Duffy’s men and the striker, who insists he has netted seven times so far this season despite strikes against Livingston and Aberdeen so far being awarded to his team-mates, says he is feeling confident in front of goal.

"The gaffer tried different things at the start of the season and I had to wait a number of games to get my chance but when I got my chances I did okay and I’ve scored seven goals so far.

"The goals against Aberdeen and Livingston were officially awarded to Kevin McKenna and Mark de Vries but I’m definitely still claiming both of them!

"The video footage clearly shows that I got the last touch in both games and as I want to beat the 12 goals that I got last season I’m going to claim them all.

"The one against Aberdeen ended up coming off my shoulder and flying into the top corner but you’ll take anything that comes your way.

"I just need to wait and see what the final decision on those goals is but I’m looking to beat that tally and a goal against Dundee would certainly help me on the way."

Taken from the Scotsman