GIVEN the form that he is in, it is little wonder that Craig Gordon has no qualms about heading to the Scottish Cup final next month. 

The Scotland internationalist was pivotal to the Tynecastle side progressing past Hibs on Saturday with one particular second-half save to deny Ryan Porteous that was his season in microcosm. Pushing the header onto the post before collecting the rebound – at a point in the game where Hibs were pressing for a leveller – Gordon showed off all the attributes that had Robbie Neilson insisting that he is a shoe-in for Scotland Player of the Year this term.

Certainly Hearts, with Gordon in the form that he is, will be emboldened ahead of the Cup final date.

“Underdogs can win football matches,” said the 39-year-old goalkeeper.

“We’ve seen that this week in the Champions League and you see it every week in football that an underdog wins a football match. 

‘We can go in and we know we have good players and we can be confident in our own ability and know we can cause teams problems on any given day.”

Gordon’s save did not inspire the same chuckle that the one he produced to deny Kevin Nisbet did in the last Hearts v Hibs semi-final bit the experienced goalkeeper appreciated the magnitude of the stop and the point in the game in which it came.

"It was a big one,” accepted Gordon. “It was a big moment in the game and the season to keep them out at that particular point because they were on top. To keep our lead intact was hugely important at that stage because they still had 11 men at the time. 

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

"I was really happy with it. I got a little bit of luck when it came back off the post and it came towards me and I managed to dive on the second ball. 

"But I hopefully deserved that bit of luck for the first touch. It can always happen as a goalkeeper that you make a save and the rebound goes in.

“The second half seemed to go on for hours. It’s fair to say we ground it out with a few injuries and changes in personnel. We changed the shape and we ground it out to get through. All credit to the lads who came in and it showed the team spirit that we have got. Everyone stepped up and put in a performance. 

“It was a good moment for me but there was still a long time to go in the game. We had to put in a great shift to get through in the end.” 

Gordon’s experience ahead of the Hampden date will be key as Nielson’s side try to top their third place league finish with a Scottish Cup gong. They have lost out to Celtic twice in the 2019 and 2020 finals but Gordon is optimistic that recent experiences can help Hearts as they look to upset the odds.

The player himself has ample experience of the big occasion at Hampden, an attribute in itself as he shares his wisdom with younger members of the dressing room.

“It’s another opportunity to win a cup final and lift a trophy,” he said.

“Hearts have put themselves in this position a number of times in recent years and it’s another great chance for us. We have players who have witnessed the big occasion over the last four or five years. The club has been here a lot and that can only hold us in good stead for a massive game.

“We will just concentrate on ourselves as best we can and try to go into the final on good form. 

“We have had a good season and we are in a great position. Now it’s about continuing to win games and keeping in good form. 

"If we can add a wee bit of steel that we showed on Saturday we are a good outfit who will give anyone problems.”

What the weekend win did do was guarantee Hearts European football next term – “we are not counting our chickens just yet,” werea Gordon’s words of caution as he urged Hearts to keep the sustain the level of performance that has been evident this term.

There were casualties on Saturday with Andy Halliday and Craig Halkett both left crocked.  

“We will find out in the next few days how he is but it didn’t look good at the time,” said Gordon of the challenge that left Halkett leaving Hampden on crutches. “Sometimes you just get that feeling as a player. 

“It was not a great tackle. I don’t think by any means there was any intent to injure him but it was a crunching tackle. It looks like he’s got a sore one but we will find out in the coming days."