Fontaine holds head high after Hampden heartache

Hibernian defender Liam Fontaine vowed to keep his head up high after his rollercoaster Hampden experience.

The centre-back hit a deserved equaliser on the stroke of half-time during their League Cup final against Ross County but he was at the centre of their last-minute heartache.

Fontaine's attempt to clear Michael Gardyne's dangerous cross fell perfectly for Alex Schalk to knock the ball over the line and seal a 2-1 win for the Highland side.

Fontaine almost took the game into extra-time with an overhead kick deep into injury-time but Gary Woods tipped the ball over the bar and the final whistle went after the resulting corner was cleared.

In a message posted on his Twitter account on Monday, the 30-year-old said: "Yesterday I experienced one of the greatest moments and one of the lowest moments in my life....

"The emotion I felt during both will stay with me forever. To play and score for a club you love in a cup final is what dreams are made of and no-one can take that away from me.

"I made a mistake at the wrong time and ultimately killed mine and my teammates dream of lifting the cup on the day, for a club I love playing for.

"But I can walk away from that game knowing I gave everything to try and win down to the last minute, and for that reason I will keep my head up high.

"Nobody is as gutted today as myself, but all I can do, as you have to in sport, is deal with it and move on quickly."

Hibs had seen their Championship title push fall apart with three consecutive defeats ahead of the final but there is still plenty for Alan Stubbs' side to play for.

With Rangers moving closer to the title, Hibs and Falkirk are involved in a battle for second spot and later entry into the play-offs.

And Hibs could seal a return to Hampden on Wednesday night when they face Inverness with a William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United on offer for the winners.

Fontaine is determined to ensure their season of promise finishes on a high.

"We can't afford to let it peter out," he said at Hampden. "It should be in your make-up as a professional.

"These things happen, you get negative blows sometimes and you just have to stand up and man up and go and push yourself on again."