Fletcher plots regular starting slot... and Hearts’ downfall

MARTIN McMILLAN April 20 2006

Steven Fletcher has yet to start a competitive game against Hearts but the Hibernian striker is determined to enhance his growing reputation should he get the nod for Saturday's derby at Easter Road.

The youngster silenced Parkhead with his goal in the 1-1 draw with Celtic last weekend, a strike which took his season's tally to nine to leave him one short of the personal target he set himself at the start of the campaign.

Hearts' visit offers Fletcher the perfect opportunity to reach that benchmark and take the next step towards securing a regular berth in Tony Mowbray's starting 11.

But for the meantime, the 19-year-old admits he is happy to continue his education under Mowbray and that the confidence he has gained from playing at Scottish football's big venues will stand him in good stead.

"It was good to get my ninth goal of the season at Parkhead and I've scored twice there now. The surface is brilliant and it is just a great place to go and play football.

"The atmosphere is magnificent and I like going to Parkhead and Ibrox. It is a good feeling to play in those matches and to score but when I scored on Sunday it went that silent I thought I must have been offside. I've never heard Parkhead so quiet but the fans were probably just wanting a win to celebrate getting the championship trophy.

"I've not scored against Hearts in a first-team match but I came on when we beat them 2-0 at Easter Road in October and that was a great match to play in as well.

"My goal is to get 10 goals this season and I've got nine so it would be great to get my 10th against Hearts this weekend.

"I also played against Hearts in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden earlier this month. That was a hard one to take and we owe something to the fans who came through to Glasgow to support us that day.

Rated as the brightest of the young talents to emerge from Easter Road in recent times, Fletcher has had to live in the shadow of the earlier 'generation' of youngsters to drop off the Easter Road conveyor belt.

The likes of Garry O'Connor and Derek Riordan have made it difficult for the gifted marksman to break into the side in his preferred position up front.

However, Fletcher says he is finally starting to feel at home in the Hibs dressing room and – with O'Connor now playing in Russia and Riordan tipped to leave in the summer – he is looking forward to making more of an impact next term.

"The manager said to me at the start of the season when I signed my new contract that he would put me in and pull me out of the side whenever it suited him and I have had to accept that," he said.

"When Garry O'Connor was here he was scoring goals for fun, as was Deeks, but now there is a space for me and hopefully for the start of next season I can take it and become an integral part of the first team.

"I am still only 19 and when I first came in I was really shy in and around the changing room but now I feel a big part of what is happening in the first-team squad.

"We even play jokes on some of the younger guys so it is good to feel part of the team now and hopefully I can play a few more times next season."

Meanwhile, Mowbray admits his side have an excellent chance of boosting their hopes of a UEFA Cup spot. Hibs need Rangers to pip Hearts to second place, whilst at the same time finishing in fourth place if they are to qualify for Europe.

However, with Hearts arriving at Easter Road knowing a win would extend their lead over Rangers to eight points ahead of Sunday's Old Firm game, Mowbray is aware of the significance of the task facing his team this weekend.

He said: "We can't affect other teams' results other than when we play against them so we have the opportunity this Saturday to help ourselves in terms of the European issues.

"All we can do is finish as high up the table as we can and whether that means a European place or not will be determined by others."

Hearts will broadcast Saturday's game on big screens at Tynecastle. The club are offering tickets, priced at £15, to 600 supporters.

Taken from the Herald