Chris crossing pain barrier to boost Hibs

HIBS star Chris Killen today insisted he won't be struck by stage fright as he makes his first appearance at Hampden in what will be the biggest game of his fledgling Easter Road career.

The 24-year-old striker has been fighting a race against time to be fit for tomorrow's Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts after going over on his ankle during last weekend's match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

And although he faced a deadline of today to convince boss Tony Mowbray that he'll be fit to lead the line, the New Zealand hitman believes he'll be in the starting line-up even if it means taking "a few pain killers".

He said: "After the game on Saturday then again on Sunday things did not look too good but in the last few days it has come along well.

"I rolled over on my ankle midway through the second-half. I thought on Sunday morning when I woke up that my chance of playing in the semi-final had gone.

"I was struggling to walk around my flat at that point and there was some doubt in my mind. There was a lot of swelling."

However, Killen continually applied ice to the joint and although he's been restricted in training and admits only time will tell whether he's won his race for fitness, he's confident of making it. He said: "I obviously don't want to miss this game and would do anything I can to be fit, only time will tell.

"It all comes down to how the injury is tomorrow but a few pain killers might sort that out."

Coincidentally, Killen made his Hibs debut in a derby although it wasn't the happiest of days for the Easter Road club with Mowbray's side already 4-1 down at Tynecastle before he stepped off the bench to get his first taste of SPL action.

But now Killen - who has scored four goals in six starts for Hibs, including a debut strike in the third round at Ibrox to help knock Rangers out - believes he and his team-mates can produce a much more acceptable score for the green and white army which will descend on Hampden.

He said: "I've only been here a short time but I know already that this derby is a massive game and even more so now that it is a cup game, but that just gives me something more to look forward to.

"The previous game is in the past and we are looking forward to a very different game tomorrow.

"I thought we were very unlucky at Tynecastle not to get a couple of goals early doors, their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves and it could have been a very different story."

And Killen believes the fact the game is on a neutral ground could be a telling factor, saying: "Playing at home you are expected to win in front of your own supporters.

"Although generally you feel more comfortable at home Hampden will prove to be a different challenge for both sides.

"I never really looked much into the talk of using Murrayfield and I wasn't aware they had played there before. But if the manager thinks that Hampden was going to be better for the side then that's good enough for me."

Although he has never played at Hampden before, Killen is looking forward to putting the experience he gained in last year's FA Cup with Oldham Athletic to good use.

He said: "We had a good run, we beat Manchester City and were unlucky not to beat Bolton Wanderers while in the earlier rounds I managed to score a hat-trick against Leyton Orient."

While tomorrow may present Killen with his biggest challenge yet in a green and white shirt, having gained 22 international caps for New Zealand, he believes he can take the day in his stride.

He said: "I know there will be nerves with a lot of the players.

"The build-up is the nervous period but once the whistle goes then you just focus on your game.

"I'm a pretty cool person before games as it happens; sure you get a little bit of nerves now and then but that just drives you on and gets you geed up for the game and I think that is true for most players."

Killen admitted he finds the game more intense north of the border but is adamant he can deal with the white-hot atmosphere of what is being dubbed the derby of the century, the first meeting at this stage of the cup between the Capital rivals since 1901.

He said: "I'm enjoying my time here but obviously the hype and media interest in games here is a lot more intense than I was used to dealing with at Oldham.

"But on the field I've scored four goals and perhaps I have been a bit unlucky in that I could perhaps have had a few more. My job, though, is just to keep working hard and score as many as I can.

"The rivalry here with two teams in one city is a good one to have, it adds intensity to games and you obviously always want to put one over your local rivals.

"I know how much this game means to a lot of people in Edinburgh but I also know how much it means to the players here at Hibs."

Taken from the Scotsman