9pm

Ricky's report of the Hearts game is now available.  Enjoy!

Terry Butcher's post-match comments were as follows:
"The players all deserve a lot of credit, to lose two goals in the last five minutes and also miss tow great chances at the other end, the y could’ve buckled. But they didn’t the dug in and showed some great resolve in the second half of extra time. I thought we played some good football in that spell and created a couple of chances.  Hearts battered us in the second half and gave us a lot of problems with high balls into the box as we are not the biggest of teams, but we ask them to compete and anything that got through big Marsh was there. It’s just wonderful to get through."

Meanwhile, Scott Leitch is hoping Brian Kerr can recover from injury in time for the final:
"Our result was magnificent for him for the way he was worked after a terrible injury.  We have seen him every day at the ground and he works his socks off.  He was in the dressing room after the game celebrating with us and that is great credit to him and our physio John Porteous.  He is two months ahead of his rehab and it would be fantastic if he got back in the team and was part of the final."

Two other snippets of news (not that much else really matters much at the moment!)  

• The Hibs game has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 15 with a 7.45pm kick off.

• Jim Hamilton scored twice for the reserves in a 3-3 draw against Hibs at Ochilview today.  Higgins was our other goalscorer.  Team:
  Corr, Keogh, Quinn, Fagan, Kinniburgh, Hiiggins, Smith, Connolly, Hamilton, Wright, Russell. 
  Subs: Alexiou, Donnelly, Grant, Maguire, Coakley.

CIS League Cup Semi Final Result: Motherwell 3, Hearts 2 (AET)

HEY! I'M GOING TO A CUP FINAL!!! :)

What a night!  What a game!!!

Don't know where to start.  We were 1-0 up after 20 mins courtesy of a Craigan header, and survived a couple of near misses from Hearts to go in ahead at the break.  Marshall produced yet MORE outstanding saves in the second half to keep our lead intact, and then we looked to have the game all wrapped up after 77 mins when McDonald was hauled down in the box and Foran scored from the spot.  However this is Motherwell we are talking about here, and we never do things the easy way.  Burchill bundled the ball over the line after 85 mins to make the score 2-1, then following an amazing Clarkson miss, the Jambos unbelievably scored again in injury time to send the match into extra time.  

As you can imagine, the mood among the 'Well fans quickly turned from jubilation to extreme dejection, and I have to admit I thought there was only one team going to win it in extra time (and it certainly wasn't going to be us).  Yet the team showed unbelievable character to hold on through the subsequent 30 minutes, and just when the match looked destined to be settled by penalty kicks, up popped substitute Marc Fitzpatrick to slot the ball home in the dying seconds and send the 'Well fans absolutely crazy.  

The script could not have been written any better!

To describe tonight's game as an emotional rollercoaster is the understatement of the year.  Supporting Motherwell seriously cannot be good for your health, as one minute we were 2-0 up and seemingly cruising while the next minute I was biting what was left of my fingernails as we tried desperately to hold on to our lead in normal time.  But it was worth it all when in the last minute of extra time that winner went in, sparking scenes of celebration that I haven't seen at a 'Well game in a long, long time.

And so it's off to Hampden on March 20 to face either Rangers or Dundee Utd.  And I for one can't wait!

COME ON YE 'WELL!!!

Team (4-4-2): Marshall, Corrigan, Craigan, Partridge, Hammell, Paterson (Fitzpatrick 75), O'Donnell, Leitch, McBride (Clarkson 75), Foran (Quinn 113), McDonald, Foran.
Subs not used: Fagan, Corr.

Booked: Hammell, McBride, O'Donnell, Craigan, Foran.

Attendance: 14,069.