Craig Halkett bagged the last-gasp winner to sink and then savoured the moment with his hole-in-one pal
Craig Halkett celebrates with a golf swing
Craig Halkett took a golf club to Hibs as the best moment of his Hearts career got Tynecastle swinging.
The defender sparked scenes of mass jubilation amongst the delirious home fans in Gorgie with his dramatic injury-time winner.
Halkett’s strike wasn’t just an unforgettable first goal in the fixture for the stopper in over six years at the club, but it also ensured top spot in the table for his high-flying team going into the season’s second international break.
If Derek McInnes’ team are trying to play down title talk, they are going the wrong way about it with a third stoppage-time winner of the season showing they have the character and never-say-die spirit to go with their ability.
Halkett’s guided-volley finish from sub Sabah Kerjota’s cross was sublime and, as he sprinted down the touchline amid bedlam in the stands, he still had just enough clarity of mind to take a second to tee-up a pal for his own special celebration.
Tottenham’s James Maddison mimics a darts throw for a goal celebration, but it was a golf swing for Halkett as he explained the background with a smile.
He said: “It’s a funny story, actually. We had a Hearts sponsors’ golf day up at the Fairmont at St Andrews a few weeks ago and I played with a boy, big Greg, who is a Hearts season-ticket holder and he got a hole-in-one when he was in my group.
“So he’d said to me that, if I ever score at one of the home games, to look out to where he is. And, just at the last minute, I had caught [sight of] him there, so I gave him a wee golf swing.”
Fair play to Halkett for remembering because. given the fact he still felt it almost impossible to describe the feeling of bagging a derby winner once it was all over, his head must have been cloudy.
He continued: “It’s hard to [describe], to be honest. Unbelievable. I’ve been here almost seven years and played in quite a few derbies, never scored, so to get my first one in the fashion like I did, it’s quite unforgettable.”
Craig Halkett celebrates after scoring to make it 1-0
Having suffered serious injury issues to offer plenty of lows in his time at Hearts, this had to be the ultimate high and he confirmed: “For a single moment, definitely. I think, especially on a personal level, the last two or three years I’ve had. Up and down with injuries, not playing as much as I’d like.
“To start the season, playing every game and performing pretty well, I know it’s still early, but to top it off with a winning goal in the derby, it doesn’t get much better.
“I had looked up at the big screen just before the ball had come in and I’d seen that it was 91, 92 minutes and I knew there were only three added on.
“I knew the game was going to restart, but I was pretty confident that that was the game won, so I made sure I put a wee bit into the celebration.
“I think it was maybe two or three phases from the original free kick that was given, so it’s late on in the game, you’re just staying up there to try and sniff out any last wee chance.
“Saba puts in an unbelievable ball and it was more of just sticking my leg out and making clean contact with it and, thankfully, to see it go in the back of the net was brilliant.
“I think everyone, Hearts players and Hibs players, are all running towards their goal. Me being a defender myself, I know that if you stick your leg out being a Hibs defender, there’s a big chance it’s going in your own net.
“So sometimes it’s hard and you leave the ones and you hope that it just goes all the way out, but, fortunately for myself, I was there.
“Obviously a lot of the games we’ve played in this year, there’s been a lot of goals and we’ve scored a few late in some as well, so I always felt that we had a goal in us. But I think, if the game had finished 0-0, I don’t think anybody would have argued.”
Craig Halkett scores in stoppage time to sink Hibs
McInnes and his bench erupted at the moment and it was a glorious way for Halkett to keep paying back the boss for his faith.
It was goal number four of the term and he explained: “We spoke during pre-season and at the start of the season. He said he’d seen me as a leader and he was keeping Shanks [Lawrence Shankland] as the captain, but he wanted to delegate more responsibilities, probably more things that you guys don’t see, more things behind the scenes, just helping organise stuff around the training ground and at the stadium.
“I’ve been here a long time, so it’s something that comes quite naturally to me and I’m more than happy to help. It does include fining people, aye! Myself and Cammy [Devlin] are in charge of that and we’ve done pretty well this year so it should be a good Christmas night out!
“I spoke during the summer about how hard I’d worked and how big a season it was for myself coming up, so I’m feeling great, my body’s feeling great, feeling healthy, fit, strong and I’m just really glad to be playing 90 minutes every week and putting in decent performances.
“Just anything that I can do to help the team and, thankfully, we’ve started the season really well.”
