Haining Has The Will To Win Now

Feb 3 2008 By Gordon Waddell

WILL HAINING thought he had booked St Mirren a last-eight date until Lukasz Zaluska denied him.

Now the stopper is praying he can book himself a place back in the Buddies line-up in time for the replay.

Former Oldham ace Haining is facing a two-game SPL ban after his red card against Rangers last weekend.

The Buds' second bite at Dundee United comes between the two and he admitted: "Obviously I'd love to keep my place in the side but I know I'll need to be replaced in the league."

Haining's last-gasp 16-yard strike looked net-bound until Zaluska's leaping save and the defender said: "I was convinced I had scored.

"I caught the shot really well and thought it was in - but the keeper pulled off some stop.

"We took the whole game to them, to be honest, and apart from them being a danger at set pieces we were comfortable.

"It was one of our better home performances."

Saints boss Gus MacPherson was frustrated his players didn't take the chance to bury United when the opportunities were there.

He sighed: "If anyone was going to score it was us. Chris Smith didn't have a save to make in 90 minutes so there were a lot of positives from the game.

"Andy Dorman really showed himself as a find in the midfield with his drive.

"But you have to take your chances in Cup games to win - and we had half a dozen decent ones.

"I said to our players before the tie United would want to prove they're more than a one-man team, now Barry Robson has gone to Celtic. And that won't change for the replay."