Hearts head coach Steven Naismith believes their latest progress and starvation for trophies will give them an opportunity towards Rangers at Hampden after his aspect booked a Scottish Gasoline Scottish Cup semi-final place with a 1-0 win over Morton at Cappielow.
Naismith’s aspect had been instantly handed a repeat of their Viaplay Cup semi-final, which Rangers gained 3-1 in November, within the draw for the final 4.
Hearts wish to attain their fourth Scottish Cup closing in six years, however Naismith and his gamers are decided to go one higher and seal their first triumph within the match since 2012.
Naismith mentioned: “Happily we now have been in a semi-final earlier than this season so we now have obtained to make use of that. And we are going to look ahead to it, you’re employed laborious to get by means of the rounds to get to the latter levels.
“We have now had a superb little bit of development for the reason that final semi-final, we wish to progress once more and provides ourselves an opportunity to win it.
“You’ve got to have that demand and starvation to win trophies and we’re constructing that, so hopefully we will have a superb day.”
Naismith’s aspect survived some strain at Cappielow and superior because of an angled drive from Kenneth Vargas within the 86th minute.
“Coming away from residence at in all probability one of many hardest grounds you’ll go to, we all know what it was going to be like,” he mentioned.
“It was about taking the emotion out of the sport and having a transparent image out of possession when they will be a bit direct – each throw-in, nook, set-play was going to get a response from the group. It was about understanding that and never panicking, which I assumed we did rather well.
“We should always have scored earlier, however the important thing was persistence. Our management of the ball, particularly the second half, was actually good, which finally led to 3 or 4 good possibilities.”
Hearts wanted goalkeeper Craig Gordon to be at his greatest and the 41-year-old made three spectacular saves to maintain his first clear sheet since recovering from a double leg break.
“I’ve mentioned all of it alongside, he’s again to the place he was earlier than,” Naismith mentioned. “He’s labored actually laborious, obtained a drive and his expertise in coming for balls and taking the strain off is invaluable. However it’s sensible to have two nice goalies.”
Morton supervisor Dougie Imrie felt his aspect deserved to be heading to Hampden.
Imrie mentioned: “I stand right here extraordinarily pleased with them. At occasions we went toe to toe with a high Premiership group.
“They’ll know themselves they’re fortunate to be within the semi-finals. I assumed we deserved to be in there, however sadly we simply fell quick.”
Morton’s focus now turns to staying within the cinch Championship’s high 4 and sealing a play-off place.
“We’re in a fantastic place,” Imrie mentioned. “We have now a troublesome sport on Saturday away at Partick, however after that we’ve obtained two or three video games on the bounce at residence and we now have to make the most of that.”
