Hearts' Craig Gordon admits luck played a part in semi-final wonder save against Hibs

It wasn't an easy Scottish Cup semi-final win and Hibs can argue that they deserved more from proceedings given the way they raised their game and contested every ball.

But throughout an already successful season Hearts have developed a winning habit.

So, even when players had to go off injured or momentum shifted away from them, they had the nous and the personnel to see it over the line.

In the key moments on Saturday the extra quality shone through.

The goals were clinical, the finishing assured, as Hearts opened up a two-goal lead and while Liam Boyce had the opportunity to totally kill things off just before the interval and should have done better, having missed that one, it was up to the men at the other end to play their part.

And, despite a couple of enforced defensive reshuffles in front of him, captain Craig Gordon pulled off another of his spectacular saves to prevent Hibs levelling the score, getting down to his right to push Ryan Porteous’ superb header onto the upright.

“It was a big moment in the game and the season to keep them out at that particular point because they were on top,” acknowledged the Scotland goalkeeper. “To keep our lead intact was hugely important because they still had 11 men at the time [Joe Newell was sent off 10 minutes later].

‘It would have been difficult for us to get the momentum back in the game if it had been 2-2.

“I got a little bit of luck when it came back off the post and I managed to dive on the second ball. But I hopefully deserved that bit of luck.”

Hearts were already ahead by then, having opened the scoring in the 16th minute.

When a delightful Barrie McKay pass unlocked the Leith defence. Ellis Simms made the most of it and sent a scorching strike past Matt Macey.