I THOUGHT I'D JUST DREAMT MY GOAL UNTIL I SAW THE TAPE

Feb 12 2005

By Anthony Haggerty

STEVEN NAISMITH has spent most of this week trying to convince himself he really did grab his first goal for Kilmarnock last weekend.

Everyone else at Tynecastle saw him bag the last-gasp equaliser in the 2-2 Scottish Cup draw that earned a replay with Hearts.

But he missed his big moment because he ran into a Jambos defender after unleashing the shot and didn't see the ball cross the line.

However, several members of his family caught his big moment on video and he hasn't tired of watching the tape.

Naismith, who put pen to paper on a new three-and-a-half-year deal last week, said: 'I couldn't believe it. Even on the Sunday and Monday I was still wondering if I'd actually done it or if it was all a dream.

'But I've watched the tapes of the goal many times. My mum, dad, aunts and uncles all recorded the game so I will never be short of a chance to watch it.

'I didn't see the ball going in because I ran into a defender. But then I heard all the fans cheering and the players ran towards me.

'I wasn't really sure what to do. I just ran towards the crowd with the rest of them.

Everyone was jumping about and cheering so I just thought I'd join in.

Progress 'It was a great week for me. Signing my contract was a big thing but to score my first goal was even bigger.'

Naismith and his Killie team-mates face the Jambos again today ahead of their Cup replay on Wednesday night at Rugby Park.

And the youngster would love to be involved and help his side's push to finish in the top six of the SPL.

He said: 'I made my debut at the end of last season and was grateful to get a chance. I'm now training with the first team and have been involved in squads and on the bench, so the progress has been bit by bit.

'The gaffer told me I was going to be on the bench for the Hearts game as he wanted to give me a rest but you want to play in every game.

'So when I got on I knew I had to do my best to show I was good enough to play. We've got Hearts this weekend and then again in the Cup replay but first we have to get three points because that takes us closer to the top six.'

Taken from the Daily Record