Beni Baningime reveals secret behind his first Hearts goal, Everton text message and Barrie McKay jibes

He is a first-team regular with Hearts, a club close to securing European football and chasing the prestige of Scottish Cup success. The midfielder scored not only his first goal in maroon during Saturday’s quarter-final against St Mirren, but his first of any kind at professional level.

It’s been a long wait for this kind of intense anticipation. Baningime is 23 and has only just completed his 41st competitive match as a footballer. Years of unsuccessful loans and injuries at former club Everton have finally given way to prosperity during his maiden campaign in Scotland.

It would be a stretch to re-brand him a goalscoring midfielder but the scamper into the six-yard box on Saturday night was very deliberate. It brought a first bout of goal euphoria, a beaming smile and a phone emitting smoke due to all the congratulatory texts.

“I’ve seen the ball land there a few times in the last few games, so I thought I’d try to get in the box. I’ve seen it happening and I said to myself: ‘You need to try and make it.’ I had been hovering at the edge of the box before but it wasn’t working,” admitted the Congolese, speaking exclusively to the Evening News.

“I’m just glad it fell there, a little toe poke and it was a great feeling. It was a simple little goal. That’s what I was waiting for. Hopefully there are many more. It’s one of the best feelings you can have as a footballer. You can win tackles and everything but to get a goal in a cup quarter-final is a great feeling.

“It’s my first professional goal. My last one was years ago. I never scored for Everton at first-team level. The crazy thing is, I’ve probably only played about 40 games in my first-team career. That’s not a bad ratio but there’s more expectation now. I’m just