LISTEN: Alex Schalk - League Cup glory is for Ross County's lifelong fans
Ross County hero Alex Schalk dedicated his League Cup final winner to the club's lifelong fans after his last-minute goal earned a 2-1 victory over Hibernian.
Ross County hero Alex Schalk dedicated his League Cup final winner to the club's lifelong fans after his last-minute goal earned a 2-1 victory over Hibernian.
Schalk tapped home from close range after Liam Fontaine could not clear Michael Gardyne's cross to seal the Dingwall club's first major trophy.
The Dutchman said: It's not for me as an individual, or for anyone else as an individual. It's for people who are Ross County fans all their lives.
You see people crying because we won the first cup in the history of Ross County. This win is for them.''
The striker ripped his shirt off and ran to embrace County fans in the Hampden stand after finding the net.
I can't really describe it,'' he said.It was fantastic, phenomenal.
We worked so hard. Five minutes before I got cramp and I couldn't really walk any more. Then, the last sprint of the game, I saw the ball going into the box, the defender made a mistake and I tapped it in. It was as easy as that.
All the emotions, it was blank, all black, the fans were screaming. It was an amazing feeling. It couldn't be better for me.''
Fontaine had cancelled out Gardyne's opener just before the end of a first half which Hibs dominated, and Schalk admitted County had come through some difficult moments.
To be honest, we were a bit lucky,'' the 23-year-old said.They could have scored a couple of goals in the first half as well.
They were a tough side to play against and they played really well, but we worked so hard and we were brilliant in that part of the game.
We weren't playing the game we are used to playing. Me and Boycey (Liam Boyle) as strikers weren't holding the ball up as well as we did in the last couple of games, so we needed to improve that to help the team and get more of the ball and get it in wider areas and crosses in the box, because that is our type of play.
A few hard words were said in the dressing room at half-time and we improved in the second half.''
Schalk's personal triumph was reward for his daring attitude in leaving Go Ahead Eagles in August before winning a move to County in October after impressing Jim McIntyre on trial.
I had just signed a new two-year deal in Holland but the manager was going to use me as a left-winger,'' he said.I can play there but it's not my strength to play on the wing - it's in the centre of the park as a number 10 or a striker.
This was the best solution for me because the gaffer brought me in and gave me the confidence and has given me the games. It was a bit of a gamble, but the system suits me well. My strengths are showing on the pitch.
I have scored a few goals in the last few weeks so I was confident and it cannot be better than (Sunday).
I love the system and the confidence of the manager is also important. He left me on and I repaid that with the match-winning goal.''