IT'S an argument he'd love to be having but, thanks to a stunning fingertip save by Hearts goalkeeper Janos Balogh, it's one Hibs kid David Wotherspoon will never enjoy – laying claim to the winning goal in the first Edinburgh derby of the season.
The 19-year-old was convinced his long-range shot, deflected by the head of team-mate Colin Nish, was destined for the back of Balogh's net only for the Hungarian keeper to touch the ball onto the post.
Whether it would have proved to be the decis
ive moment at Tynecastle can now, of course, only be a matter of conjecture but, with each of the Capital's big two giving as good as they got in what was never a classic, it did look as if one goal either way would prove enough to win it.
And Wotherspoon thought he'd done it as he read a pass from Hearts Arvydas Novikovas before bursting forward to fire in a shot which glanced off Nish, pictured, to seemingly wrong-foot Balogh only for the Gorgie keeper to leave him open-mouthed with his instinctive but priceless save.
The Easter Road youngster said: "Novikovas let me come inside and showed the way.
"It opened up but I felt someone coming in from my left and as I couldn't see a pass on I let fly.
"I don't know if it was going in but Colin's flick made the ball change direction and it looked as if the goalkeeper was beaten.
"Even when he got a touch to it I still thought it was going to hit the back of the net but Balogh did really well to claw it out.
"If it had gone in I think there would have been a wee bit of an argument between Colin and myself as to who should be credited with the goal. I'd have been claiming it but I think he'd have got the nod as he got the last touch."
Balogh's intervention was the second time this season Wotherspoon, who claimed the first of Hibs' two goals in a 2-1 win over St Mirren as he made his debut on the opening day of the season, had been left shaking his head in disbelief at a wonder save. He recalled: "I thought I'd scored an equaliser against Celtic at Easter Road a few weeks ago only for Artur Boruc to somehow get a hand to the ball.
"I don't seem to be having much luck at the moment with goalkeepers but I'll keep working away, trying a shot when I can and hopefully things will turn for me soon."
If a draw was probably a fair result at the end of the day, Hearts dominating for the first 45 minutes while Hibs, a shadow of the side they can be in that period, looked to have gained the upper hand following the introduction of Derek Riordan, Wotherspoon insisted the over-riding feeling among John Hughes' players was one of disappointment.
He said: "We didn't play as well as we can. Our back four and goalkeeper Graham Stack were tremendous, we battled well but we couldn't find that clinical pass. We had more possession towards the end of the game, passed the ball better, created more space in midfield and made a few openings."
Although boss Hughes was forced to shuffle his pack as Merouane Zemmama and then Sol Bamba were ruled out through injury while Riordan was on the bench having damaged an ankle tripping over his dog, Wotherspoon insisted he and his team-mates weren't using the fact the starting line-up had changed for the first time in five weeks as an excuse.
"There were a few changes in personnel but we know everyone can handle it," he said, "but in the first half we didn't get forward enough. We seemed to invite them onto us, we never got them turned and really only had one chance when Colin flicked a header on for Anthony Stokes.
"Having said that, though, I thought we dealt with everything that came our way, they didn't create too many clear-cut openings. And when Derek came on he seemed to have a wee spring in his step. He made sure he had plenty of shots, he had one that Balogh again did well to turn round the post."
Although he'd faced Celtic and then Rangers at Ibrox, Wotherspoon rated the atmosphere at Tynecastle more hostile – but then revealed he'd revelled in the white-hot cauldron of his first derby clash.
He said: "It was tremendous, I went out there to enjoy myself, to play my own game. The atmosphere was terrific and I thought our fans were absolutely superb throughout the 90 minutes.
"As right-back I was tight against the crowd and obviously the Hearts fans were trying to rile me, shouting whatever at me when I went across to get the ball for a throw-in. It's a hostile and intimidating atmosphere because the supporters are so close to the pitch but you just have to put it out of your mind and ignore them or give them a wee smile."
And rather than be apprehensive at the prospect of facing Hearts winger Andy Driver, Wotherspoon insisted it was a challenge he was ready to meet head-on even if playing right-back isn't his preferred position.
Zemmama's absence opened the possibility of him being pushed up the park, the berth eventually going to John Rankin as Hughes opted to make as few positional changes as possible in the circumstances, but there was no complaint from Wotherspoon. "I thought during the week I might move up the pitch a bit but I was quite happy to be told I was staying where I was," he said.
"I was really looking forward to the challenge of playing against Driver and I thought I dealt with him pretty well.
"I'd never played against him before so I felt it would be a good challenge. The rest of the boys were giving me great encouragement, telling me to get my tackles in and although it was a real test, I was delighted with the way I played."
Having helped Hibs to make it seven SPL matches without defeat, Wotherspoon will now turn his attention to international duty having been named in the Scotland Under-21 squad for their latest European Championship qualifying match away to Azerbaijan this weekend.
And, as an unused substitute in the last game, the 1-0 win over Belarus in Paisley last month, Wotherspoon has his fingers crossed he'll at least get a taste of the action in Baku.
He said: "It's all an education for me, I'm still only 19 but I am hoping I can get a part of the game as I have been playing first team football in the SPL regularly all season.
"I've played against Celtic, Rangers and now Hearts and, in fact, I've missed just one match, the wake-up call at Hamilton, since the season started.
"Having stepped up from the Under-19 side in the summer I don't think I could have asked for anything more.
"I was on the bench last time when we got a good result but going away from home is always difficult but it will be another great experience for me."
