First Team
RESERVES: Hendry header seals win
29th October 2018
Alan Maybury's Saints Reserves came away from Edinburgh worthy winners after a 1-0 victory over Hearts Reserves at The Oriam.
Callum Hendry's first half header was enough to secure the victory making it back-to-back wins for Maybury's men.
MATCH REPORT
Saints Reserves lined up at The Oriam to face Hearts Reserves with a mixture of youth and experience in their squad for the SPFL Reserve League fixture.
Danny Swanson, Stefan Scougall and Callum Hendry were made available for the match and all three featured in Alan Maybury's starting eleven.
It was a slow start to the match with neither side having much in the way of chances in the opening 15 minutes. The first chance for Saints would fall to Danny Swanson in the 18th minute after he was picked out at the back post by Euan O'Reilly but he was unable to get his effort on target.
Just one minute later though and the away side would take the lead through Callum Hendry.
Euan O'Reilly once again found space down the right and looped an inviting cross in the box for Hendry and the 20-year-old striker headed past Hearts 'keeper Silva to make it 1-0.
The home side failed to test Conor Mitchell in the Saints goal for most of the first half but Euan Henderson did have a couple of half chances which the striker failed to keep on target.
Saints had a couple of opportunities right before the break to double their advantage but Kyle McClean's first effort was well saved by Silva and his second chance - just moments later - would drift wide of the post.
Swanson and Comrie made way for Northcott and Struthers at half-time, and Maybury's side continued to threaten after the interval.
Gregor Donald's effort from distance was comfortably saved by Silva, before Callum Hendry forced a smart stop from the Hearts 'keeper just before the hour mark.
Hearts would have their best chance of the match with around 10 minutes remaining when Euan Henderson found himself through one-on-one with Conor Mitchell but the striker blazed the ball over the crossbar.
On 83 minutes Hendry could and probably should have had his second when the impressive Euan O'Reilly drove towards the byline before cutting the ball back for Callum with the goal at his mercy but he fired the ball wide of the target.
The home side would have one more chance right at the death when the 'keeper Silva launched a long-range free-kick into the box, however Gadja's header went wide of Mitchell's post.
The victory makes it two wins on the bounce for Saints Reserves following on from the 3-0 Reserve League Cup victory over St. Mirren earlier this month.
SAINTS: Conor Mitchell, Aaron Comrie (Northcott 45), Ben Quigley, Gregor Donald, Ciaran Brian, Ali McCann, Stefan Scougall (McKenzie 65), Kyle McClean, Euan O'Reilly, Danny Swanson (Struthers 45), Callum Hendry.
UNUSED SUBS: Jack Wills, Jordan Bow, Chris Finnie, Oliver Hamilton.
SCORER: Callum Hendry (19)
BOOKINGS: McCann (57), Struthers (77), McKenzie (90).