THRILLED TO FITZ

Feb 2 2005

Well kid Marc's on cloud nine as his first goal wins final spot

By Colin Duncan And Gary Ralston

TEENAGE substitute Marc Fitzpatrick last night fired Motherwell into their first League Cup Final for 50 years with his first goal for the club.

The 18-year-old hit a sensational winner in the dying seconds of a pulsating contest at Easter Road to book the Lanarkshire side a date at Hampden on March 20.

But gutted Hearts manager John Robertson could only say: 'Defeat is tough to take.' His side forced the tie beyond normal time when Mark Burchill and Halmar Thorarisson cancelled out a Stephen Craigan strike and a Richie Foran penalty.

Then 18-year-old Fitzpatrick sealed victory with the final kick of the game.

He said: 'It's an unbelievable feeling. I just put my head down, shot and it hit the back of the net.

'This is my first goal for the club and I've missed a couple of sitters recently so this helps. It's great for the

club to get to a final and hopefully we can go on and win the final. I was aready thinking about taking a penalty and where I was going to put it when the ball came to me.'

Robertson reckoned Hearts paid the price of their midweek match demands but admitted individual errors cost his side their chance of CIS Cup glory. He said: 'The match had everything.

'We started well but didn't heed an early warning. Even after conceding the first goal, we battered them.

'Gordon Marshall had some terrific saves and we had Motherwell pinned back before being caught with the classic sucker punch.

'We looked dead and buried at that stage of the second half but showed enormous pride and character to get back into the match and turn the game on its head. In the end, our fatigue showed.

'Maybe we suffered from playing our third midweek game in a row and maybe they were helped a little by the fact they were idle at the weekend.

'Nevertheless, individual errors also cost us and Jamie McAllister is particularly distraught.

'The very least we deserved was to take the game to penalties but good luck to Terry Butcher.

'It's the second time he has beaten me in this competition, so maybe his name is on it this time.'

Robertson also paid tribute to Hearts fans for their show of support to Paul Hartley, who handed in a transfer request last week but was given a rousing reception.

The manager added: 'We knew the fans would respond like that, the backing we received from them tonight was great.

'It's a pity we can't take them to Hampden for the final. Defeat is tough to take.

'But it's important we regroup as we still have a lot to play for as a team this season.'

Burchill was left feeling empty, despite scoring his first goal for the club.He said: 'The boys are distraught at the way we've lost the game after doing so much to get back into it.

'We showed great character and we're absolutely devastated with the defeat.

'We created more chances but this is cup-tie football and ultimately Motherwell put the ball in the net more times than we did.

'It was brilliant to get my first goal for the club and I was also involved in the second, so I was delighted at that stage of the game.

'However, to come away the loser has left me absolutely gutted.'

Taken from the Daily Record