Craig Gordon talks Hearts rediscovering fighting spirit and how supporters helped beat Hibs at Hampden

Robbie Neilson’s side had to make an unprecedented five enforced substitutions due to injury, while Hearts also saw their 1-0 half-time lead erased within seconds of the game restarting as former Jambo Liam Smith netted the goal of his career with a swerving stunner from 25 yards before Nicky Clark soon converted from the penalty spot.

Hot off the heels of their worst run of the campaign, where they won just two games in seven and suffered consecutive league defeats to the two bottom Premiership clubs, it could so easily have ended badly for the visitors. Instead, they continued scrapping and won themselves a share of the spoils when Craig Halkett headed home a late equaliser.

Fighting spirit was a component fans felt the squad lacked a little during the aforementioned downturn in results and it also became a topic of conversation in the dressing room, according to captain Craig Gordon. Battling for each other helped erase the deficit against United and its rediscovery has come at the perfect time ahead of the biggest match of the season thus far.

“It has been a decent run, the last three games. I feel as if we have been going along quite well, playing some better football again,” said Gordon ahead of the Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with St Mirren in Edinburgh.

“The first 10-15 minutes [against United], I thought we were excellent. Gary [Mackay-Steven] gets his injury and things started to slow down from there. By the time we got to half-time we had players playing in different positions and trying to fill holes within the team.

“We hadn’t really managed to get organised by the start of the second half and we found ourselves 2-1 behind. So we showed great character to get back from there.

“There was great spirit and