St Johnstone’s Peter MacDonald hopes the win over Hearts in the Scottish Cup on Tuesday night could be the launching pad for a run that will take them all the way to Hampden in May.
Super-sub MacDonald came off the bench to score the late winner his first of the season at Tynecastle to secure a home tie in the fifth round against the winners of the Partick Thistle v Falkirk replay.
Hearts had gone into the game as the form team in Scotland and red-hot favourites.
But Saints upset the odds in spectacular style and, with one of the Old Firm certain to be knocked out after their meeting in the next round, MacDonald believes the McDiarmid Park outfit can start dreaming about making it to the club’s first Scottish Cup final.
He said, “I thought the first half on Tuesday was a bit of a battle, but in the second we upped our game 20% and we were well worth our win,” said MacDonald.
“Hearts were pushing at the end, and that is why the gaffer stuck me and young Stevie May on up front.
“At the goal I was stretching for the touch, but the ball stopped dead and I think it hit my shin.
“It went by their defender and I looked at their keeper and just made sure I kept it low and slotted it in the corner.”
He added, “Hearts were favourites, but we have been on a good run of form ourselves.
“We are due a good cup run and we have a squad of players capable of doing that.”
MacDonald said, “No matter who we get in the next round-whether it is Partick Thistle or Falkirk-we will show them a lot of respect.
“They will be underdogs and will be desperate to take our scalp, but one of the Old Firm will definitely be going out, so a lot of teams will be thinking if they get the luck of the draw, play at their best in the next game, then there is the possibility of making Hampden.”Era of professionalismThe popular ‘Peaso’ is the longest-serving player at McDiarmid Park, but his time at the club has been blighted by serious injury.
He was awarded a six-month contract in the summer and, having proved his fitness, he was recently awarded another deal to take him through to the end of the season by boss Derek McInnes.
MacDonald admitted that it may only be a matter of time before McInnes, who has been strongly linked with the vacant manager’s job at Burnley, moves on to pastures new.
He said, “The gaffer has now shown a bit of faith in me by extending my deal and I am happy he has.
“He is linked with a lot of other jobs, but that just shows how well he and Doc (assistant manager Tony Docherty) are doing here.”
He added, “Their man-management is brilliant and we love training every day. At a lot of places, the manager does not speak to the players, but the gaffer is always taking part in the banter.
“He loves a laugh and a joke and I think that really helps morale.
“Come game time, though, you do not mess with him.”
MacDonald said, “If we keep doing well, it is only a matter of time before he leaves.
“When (former boss) Owen Coyle left, everyone was a bit surprised, but since the gaffer took over, everything at St Johnstone has changed.
“The professionalism is so much better in the 10 years I have been here.
“The gaffer has us eating together, we get pasta on certain days and we have a video guy coming in who does a great job.”
He added, “It is wee things like that which add to your game and help you win.”