Shanks takes a load off his mind

Lawrence Shankland

- By Fraser Wilson

LAWRENCE SHANKLAND admits his spot-kick shocker in Brugge last November flashed through his mind as he shaped up to hit the crucial penalty in Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup opener win over Dunfermline.

That awful Euro night in the Jan Breydel Stadium saw the striker balloon his effort from 12 yards high into the travelling support, who turned on their skipper amid a brutal 2-0 loss to Belgian side Cercle Brugge.

Time’s a great healer, though, as are new contracts - and goals.

All three came together as Shankland held his nerve against the Pars to bury his first penalty since that fateful night — and with it any lingering doubts over his ability from the spot.

His two perfectly dispatched penalties in the final 15 minutes in a 4-1 win helped the Derek McInnes era off to a strong start.

By the end, Shankland’s song was ringing round Tynecastle to the tune of by The Dave Clark Five’s Glad All Over.