IT'S LEE-VEL PEGGING

Feb 7 2005

HEARTS 2 KILMARNOCK 2
Babe Wallace stars as Hearts and Killie fight out a real cracker

By Neil Cameron

IT doesn't happen enough but every so often the Scottish Cup is just downright brilliant.

Tynecastle on Saturday was everything a proper grown-up cup tie should be .

It was a superb game with four goals, a last-minute equaliser, a touch of controversy andsome good stories to emerge from the frantic action.

It's hard to know where to begin.

Take 17-year-old Lee Wallace, who made his debut for Hearts at left-back.

He doesn't even train with the first team yet John Robertson threw him into the fray and watched him handle all that came his way superbly.

Then there was Paul Hartley. He has been badly let down by the actions of Celtic - a £200,000 transfer bid isn't even good enough to be derisory - yet he turned in another outstanding performance.

There were the saves of Kilmarnock keeper Alan Combe,one that saw him back-heel the ball to safety while he was lying on the ground.

And 18-year-old Steven Naismith scored a breathtaking equaliser to end a week that saw him sign a long-term contract at Rugby Park.

Robbo had a run-in with referee John Rowbotham - which is now par for the course for the Jambos gaffer - and the fans played their part inside a rocking Tynecastle.

For Hearts' kid Wallace it began when the gaffer took him to one side on Thursday and asked him the question to which there was only one answer.

Wallace said: 'I found out I would be involved after the under-18s training on Thursday.The gaffer asked me if I wanted a game on Saturday.

'I just said yes, he shook my hand and that was it. I had two sleepless nights after that. I had no idea whether I would start or not.Then he read out the team-sheet before the game.

'It wasa dream come true but I was really nervous.All the players hada laugh at that.

'The day was ruined a bit because of Kilmarnock's goal but I loved playing in it. Every player was brilliant with me and talked me through the game.They made me feel as if I had been there for years.

'I got on the bench against Aberdeen a few weeks ago and learned loads of stuff but I learned even more today. My whole family was here and probably more nervous for me.That was the most important game of my life and I want to play a lot more.'

Wallace was far from the only hero on show.

Combe pulled off a number of stunning saves, nptably one from Hartley in the second half that kept his side very much in the tie.

But it was his unconventional first-half save which denied Dennis Wyness that will remain long in the memory.

Combe said: 'The ball came off the junction of the post and bar, I was on the ground and it hit meon the back.

'I didn't really know where the ball was. I turned over and saw it up in the air and the nearest thing to the ball was my foot so I backheeled it out of the way of their striker. I felt we earned the draw. I had asked the referee a couple of times how long was left. I was just waiting for the shout to come for me to goup for a corner but it never came.

'It was a good game.Hearts are an attacking side and at times they throw everyone forward.

'We will have played them six times this season, which is a bit boring, but it can work out that way sometimes.'

This was anything but boring.The game started well and ended brilliantly.

T he first goal came in 16 minutes when Hearts manufactured a fine movedownarts manufactured a fine move down the right which saw Saulius Mikoliunas right which saw Saulius Mikoliunas send Robbie Neilson scurrying to the bye-d Robbie Neilson scurrying to the bye-line. He sent over a cross and unmarked He sent over a cross and unmarked Wyness coolly sent his header in the corner of the net.

he net.

K midway through the half,although Robbo wasn't happy.

sn't happy. B Big Colin Nish had damaged his wrist and was off the park for treatment. Refdwas off the park for treatment. Ref Rowbotham waved him on and the strikerwbothamwavedhimonand the striker arrived just in time, and unnoticed, to head ved just in time, and unnoticed, to head home Allan Johnston's cross. T wrong with the goal.

ng with the goal.

H Hearts took the lead again on the stroke of half-time.The excellent Hartley wasalf-time.The excellent Hartley was allowed to run 50 yards without a challenge being made on him and slipped a pass to Lee Miller, whose first-time right-foot shot gave Combe no chance.

The second half wasn't quite as frantic but there were still plenty of moments to savour in a game Hearts looked to have won.

With a minute to go the supporters were provided with one more bit of excitement. Hearts' sub Mark Burchill was about to tear in on goal when he was pulled up for offside. It looked a poor decision.

Combe pumped the free-kick from inside his own half, Kris Boyd got a head-flick to it and Naismith controlled the ball on his chest before firing an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Disappointment for Hearts but for the rest of us a fantastic finish and if the replay

is half as good,we are in for a treat. MAN OF THE MATCH Alan Combe (Kilmarnock) Hearts - Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Wallace, Mikoliunas (Hamill 74), Simmons (MacFarlane 83), Hartley, McAllister, Wyness (Burchill 78), Miller. Subs not used: Moilanen, Thorarinsson.

Kilmarnock - Combe, Ford, Lilley, Fontaine, Hay, Johnston, McDonald, Locke (Naismith 62), Leven, Nish (Boyd 38), Invincibile (Murray 62). Subs not used: Smith, Fowler.

Referee - J Rowbotham

Moment that changed the Match: Combe's superb save to stop Hartley putting his side 2-1 up with 15 minutes to go kept his team in it. Young Naismith did the rest.

Taken from the Daily Record