SPL: Hearts 2 Inverness CT 2

IT was a dream debut for 18-year-old Irish winger Conor Pepper who only came on for the last eight minutes - and scored the equaliser.

CONOR PEPPER rubbed salt into Hearts’ wounds with a last-gasp leveller for 10-man Inverness.

It was a dream debut for the 18-year-old Irish winger who only came on for the last eight minutes.

But he was in the right place at the right time to grab a sensational equaliser with virtually the last kick of the ball.

The Dubliner said: “It has been an amazing week. I played my first match for the Under-20s against Hearts in midweek then got the exam results I wanted.

“But to come on and get the equaliser with the last kick was surreal. It was a dream debut.

“I knew I just had to get a touch on the ball and it was in.

“To score right in front of the fans was amazing. I was in the net as well and after that it was mayhem.”

Former St Johnstone keeper Peter Enckelman was on the bench having signed a six-month deal as cover for Jamie MacDonald who played despite his wife being overdue for the birth of their first child.

With David Templeton suspended, Arvydas Novikovas was given a start while Mehdi Taouil came in for Scott Robinson who was benched after the Edinburgh derby.

Boss John McGlynn’s only other change was to restore Danny Grainger at the expense of Kevin McHattie.

But it was the visitors who carved open the first real opportunity after just three minutes. Ross Draper’s
surging run ended in him slipping the ball inside to Andrew Shinnie who side-footed his shot just wide from the edge of the box.

Novikovas is mobbed by teammates after opening the scoring

But an even better chance fell to his younger brother Graeme in the sixth minute when the left-back overlapped and fired just wide of the far post.

Hearts responded in the 12th minute through Andrew Driver.

The derby-day scorer picked up a crossfield pass and after taking one touch fired in a low 25-yard shot that was smothered by Ryan Esson. But two minutes later Esson was helpless as Hearts cut through the centre of his defence with ease.

Driver played in Darren Barr who quickly picked out the unmarked Novikovas on the right flank and he curled a glorious left-foot shot into the far corner of the net.

That allowed Hearts to take a strong grip of the middle of the park with Novikovas a livewire.

Andrew Shinnie received the game’s first yellow card on the half hour mark with a challenge from behind on Taouil.

He was quickly followed by Hearts midfielder Barr for a late challenge as Inverness had a rare foray in to the home side’s half.

Hearts got their second goal four minutes before the interval in controversial fashion.

Simon King was adjudged to have tugged John Sutton’s shirt just as Jambos skipper Marius Zaliukas crashed into keeper Esson.

Ref Bobby Madden pointed to the spot before flashing a yellow at the Inverness defender.

Zaliukas required treatment and was replaced by Robinson before Sutton stepped up and sent Esson the wrong way from the spot.

But things were set to get even worse for the visitors deep into first-half injury time.

Ryan McGowan won a couple of meaty challenges before being taken out by a wild swipe from Richie Foran and Madden flashed a red card at the Thistle player.

It seemed the game was over as a contest and McGowan went close with a header after the restart.

Yet Inverness were still a threat and Billy McKay’s shot was deflected inches wide by keeper MacDonald.

And they eventually got one on the hour mark when Callum Patterson clipped Graeme Shinnie in the box right in front of the referee.

He pointed to the spot and older brother Andrew fired in to the roof of the net.

Terry Butcher’s men had a chance to equalise in 66 minutes when Graeme Shinnie reached the byeline and cut back to Draper who blasted wildly over.

Hearts had a glorious chance to kill them off in the 74th minute when a glorious piece of skill by Robinson opened up the Inverness defence,

His subtle dink over the top set up McGowan but the Aussie volleyed wildly wide.

Inverness continued to be dangerous on the break and at the death a Graeme Shinnie shot flashed across the face of goal with MacDonald scrambling.

However that was nothing compared to the drama three minutes into injury time.

Graeme Shinnie was picked out with a looping crossfield pass before he skipped past Paterson and lobbed MacDonald.

The ball seemed like taking an eternity to come down but Pepper popped up at the far post to smash the ball in to the roof of the net.

Hearts only had time to kick off before Madden blew the final whistle to a chorus of boos from the dejected home support.

Inverness boss Terry Butcher was jubilant. He said: “It feels like a win. We are two points ahead of where we were last season.

“We were two goals and a man down at half time but everyone’s reaction was brilliant after that.

“It sends out a message that we are a hard team to beat.

“It is one of the best performances from any Inverness side I have been involved in.

“Young Conor is over from Ireland and is only on buttons but has a heart as big as a bucket.”

Asked about Foran’s red card he said: “The ref deemed it a reckless challenge. I did not think it was.”

Taken from the Daily Record