Falkirk 2-2 Aberdeen

Jan 13 2008 Rob Fairburn At Falkirk Stadium

Goal Ace Riera Vows To Dump Dons In Replay

LOAN star Arnau Riera reckons never say die Falkirk can go all the way to Hampden after he sickened Dons with a late leveller.

The Sunderland midfielder headed home Bairns' second equaliser with 17 minutes left to force a replay.

And Riera insists he had no worries about going to Pittodrie - even though Falkirk haven't won there in 13 years.

The Spanish playmaker has fallen in love with cup football after his first real taste of it yesterday.

He's convinced John Hughes' men can see off Aberdeen at the second attempt then charge all the way to the final in May.

Riera said: "It was a good goal to get and it keeps us alive in the cup.

"We want to reach the final and I don't see why not - it's only five games after all.

"Players like Russell Latapy and myself are desperate to get there and we have a good enough team with a lot of character. We can win up at Aberdeen.

"The cup is a new thing for me because when I was in Spain with the Barcelona B team we did not have cup games. It was a new experience.

"The tempo is a lot higher than a league game because it is all or nothing. You have to win and I really enjoyed it.

"I don't get forward much but I took a gamble and got on the end of Carl Finnigan's cross."

Gaffer Hughes was full of praise for his side who showed all their battling qualities after twice falling behind.

And he had a dig at the TV companies who snubbed the all-SPL clash that turned out to be a belter.

He said: "We conceded two easy goals but the players showed plenty of character to come back.

"It was a fantastic cup tie. Whoever in their wisdom decided to put the TV cameras elsewhere missed the tie of the round.

"We have not beaten Aberdeen in a number of years so have it all to do up there.

To go up to Pittodrie and beat them in the cup is a massive ask but who knows?

"Hopefully by the time we play them in the replay one or two of them might not be there."

Aberdeen got off to a flying start and in four minutes Barry Nicholson's fierce shot was parried by Tim Krul.

Jamie Smith was in the perfect spot to pounce and slotted home the rebound.

Falkirk's response was instant as skipper Darren Barr got in front of his marker to meet Pedro Mountinho's dangerous corner with a powerful header.

It struck the underside of the bar before crossing the line.

But the home side's sloppy defending cost them in 10 minutes as Lee Miller wriggled past a couple of half-hearted challenges before laying the ball into the path of Steve Lovell who poked beyond the stranded Krul.

Three goals in the first 10 minutes - the fans in the Falkirk Stadium rubbed their hands in anticipation of what was to come in the next 80.

But some of the fizz seemed to evaporate from the game as the Bairns struggled to break down the rock-solid Dons rearguard.

And it took a moment of brilliance from Finnigan in 73 minutes to get Falkirk back on level terms.

He skinned Scott Severin on the right flank and sent over a peach of a cross that was met by the on-rushing Riera.

The Black Cats star sent his bullet header high into the net and was quick to acknowledge Finnigan's role.

Finnigan was on fire in the dying stages and Aberdeen keeper Jamie Langfield had to be alert to fingertip his fierce drive round the post with just four minutes left.

But the Dons also had a late chance to steal a victory when Richard Foster's 20-yarder was deflected inches past with Krul beaten.

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood had few complaints. He said: "It was not the highest quality football-wise.

"But to be fair to the players they were out on their feet as the way Falkirk play means a lot of running is involved.

"It was a fair result - Falkirk didn't deserve to lose.

"When they scored at 2-1 we were holding them well but after that it was backs to the wall stuff.

The main thing is we are still in the cup."