Former Jambo Mathu eyes two-goal finish for final

Ex-Hearts striker Mathu King has little regard for a big-money contract in football anymore, but the player who was released from Tynecastle to clear the wage bill would love to get his hands on some silver in the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup final at Rugby Park tomorrow.

Musselburgh Athletic player King had to contend with Edinburgh derby legends Mark de Vries and Graham Weir, as well as Andy Kirk and Gary Wales, for a place in the top team during his three years with the Jambos, but he is likely to skipper his side in attack alongside one or both of ex-Norwich City youngster Kris Renton and former Linlithgow forward Chris King against Auchinleck Talbot.

King has already plundered 18 competitive goals this season and hit the net in the first round and quarter-final of the national tourney as the Honest Toun men marched to the showpiece final in Ayrshire.

"It's a great opportunity for the boys," said King, 27. "The hype around the game is quite different to most weeks. We're excited, and we know it's going to be a big atmosphere.

"The game could go both ways. Auchinleck are talking about it as if they've already won it - but that's really just the fan talk - and that could be to our advantage."

The East Lothian town has been brimming with anticipation of tomorrow's televised final and 5000 fans are expected to travel south-west to roar on their local heroes. Coupled with the hordes of Talbot fans expected to emerge from the junior football hotbed of Auchinleck, located only a few miles from the Kilmarnock venue, the atmosphere at Rugby Park will be one to savour for Burgh captain King and his men. It is sure to be an experience that renders many senior games - even the big finals - a poor relation to their junior counterpart.

"At the moment, we're not looking much further ahead than Sunday," said King, who played for Forfar Athletic and Arbroath after leaving Hearts. "If the chance came to go senior again, I'd look at it, but I have no burning aspirations. I'm playing for a team that I enjoy playing."

The Craigentinny man is stand-in skipper in the absence of the injured Les Mitchell, but insists he does not feel any more pressure with the armband on. Having struck his target of 20 goals in each of his previous two seasons, the only demands he puts on himself is to reach that magical figure again. Two goals would do it, in what is the last game of the campaign for King and Burgh.

He said: "It's my fourth season here now. When I first arrived I was injured after tearing my cruciate at Arbroath. I made my comeback, and since then I've generally reached the 20-goal mark each season. According to the club's website, I'm on 22 goals, but that includes friendlies, so I'm on 18."