KENNY: WE GOT OUR REWARD

Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny insisted his team were worthy winners after they knocked holders Hearts out of the Tennent's Scottish Cup.

Defender Scott Wilson headed an injury-time winner from Adam Hammill's free-kick to ensure the Fifers would go into the hat for Sunday's quarter-final draw.

Hearts were without Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who was left on the bench by head coach Valdas Ivanauskas, at the end of a week when the club failed in their efforts to sell the highly-rated 24-year-old.

Steve Banks was fielded instead of Gordon, and defied the home side until the dramatic late goal.

Wilson's contribution was followed almost immediately by the final whistle as the Pars, who are bottom of the Bank of Scotland Premier League and a massive 26 points behind the Tynecastle side, defied the odds.

Irishman Kenny was not entirely satisfied with his team, but believes their endeavour was rewarded.

He said: "We have not scored a lot of goals of late - that has been our problem - and we did not create a lot of goalscoring chances so there is still room for improvement.

"I think we got our rewards in the end.

"Hearts had a few chances but they are going to have them because they are a team full of internationalists, but I felt we defended resolutely.

"Dorus De Vries did well with a couple of good saves to keep us in it.

"I thought it was a good cup tie, it was end to end.

"Our wide players excite the crowd.

"We are trying to improve the team, it's important the supporters can relate to the players.

"At this moment it's about survival and it's important we can put out a team the supporters can be proud of."

Hearts assistant boss Steve Frail thought there was enough quality in the Tynecastle side to come away with a victory at East End Park.

He said: "No disrespect to Dunfermline but we should have the better players to win here.

"We are really disappointed to be out of the cup, it's like a kick in the teeth.

"I don't think it's down to a lack of desire, it would have been a worry if it was a lack of desire.

"We had the chances to win the game and they came back to haunt us.

"It's just ended up that way, they got the goal in the end. We didn't take our chances, I thought there was only going to be one goal in it and they got it."

Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas did not give the post-match press conference but earlier defended his decision to leave Gordon out of the team.

He told BBC Radio Scotland, before the match: "You don't know the situation exactly about him. So today Steve Banks is in the goal."

The Lithuanian stressed that Gordon remains his number one goalkeeper and added: "I am very happy the transfer window is over. It is good for the players and good for Craig."

Ivanauskas, speaking on Hearts World, later revealed his dismay at the result.

"I can't believe (it)," he said.

"This is football, this is a cup game. Three minutes of overtime and they score a goal ... this is very, very hard."

He was critical of referee Mike McCurry's performance, after substitute Roman Bednar was not awarded free-kicks which Ivanauskas insisted should have been given.

"This is not good enough," he said.

Dismissively, he added: "I can't believe it. This is Scottish football and this is a Scottish referee.

"Every time it's the same; (people say) Hearts are a diving team. If you see how Roman's feet are now, then it is not diving."

Apparently distraught at the result, Ivanauskas added: "This is hard, honestly. I'm sorry for our supporters."

Taken from sportinglife.com