Saints 2-3 Hearts

The Gorgie side took the lead on 14 minutes as Lawrence Shankland converted from the spot after Ryan McGowan had handled the ball in the box. Alan Forrest then doubled Hearts lead on 33 minutes as he slotted a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Saints had a chance to half the deficit before half time when they were awarded a penalty following a handball by Cammy Devlin however, Graham Carey blasted his effort over the bar.

However, Saints did pull a goal back from the spot ten minutes into the second half as Stevie May converted his penalty after he had been hauled down by Robert Snodgrass. The Jambos though regained their two-goal lead on 64 minutes courtesy of a long range strike from substitute Barrie McKay.

Saints heads didn’t go down and they still pushed forward and they were given a glimmer of hope when Jamie Murphy pulled a goal back with 11 minutes remaining but it wasn’t to be as Hearts saw the game out to secure their first league win in Perth for twelve years.

Tonight’s result sees Saints drop to sixth in the cinch Premiership. Next up for Saints is another home game as they welcome Dundee United to Perth next Monday, kick off 3pm.

MATCH REPORT

Saints welcomed Hearts to McDiarmid Park this evening for their final game of 2022. Saints lost 4-1 to Celtic in Glasgow on Christmas Eve and Callum Davidson made two changes to his starting eleven this evening. James Brown and Daniel Philips both dropped to the bench and they were replaced by Adam Montgomery, who couldn’t play against his parent club on Saturday, and Ali Crawford. A 94th minute penalty from Lawrence Shankland saw Hearts draw 2-2 with Dundee United at Tannadice on Christmas Eve and there were five changes to The Jambos starting eleven this evening. Former Saints goalkeeper Zander Clark came in to make his first start for Hearts as he replaced Craig Gordon who suffered a double leg break on Saturday. The other changes saw Kyle Rowles, Tony Sibbick, Jorge Grant and Alan Forrest come into replace Craig Halkett and Stephen Kingsley, who were both injured during the first half at Tannadice four days ago, whilst Michael Smith and Barrie McKay both dropped to the bench.  

Graham Carey got the match underway for Saints but in the first 45 seconds of the match Hearts had two appeals for a penalty as both Tony Sibbick and Josh Ginnelly went down in the box but referee Willie Collum waved play on.

Hearts had started strongly and on 3 minutes they were awarded a free kick in a promising positon after Jorge Grant had been fouled by Ryan McGowan. Robert Snodgrass floated the ball into the box and Lawrence Shankland was inches away from making a connection with it. Then shortly after a Hearts counter attack ended with Shankland feeding the ball to Grant whose strike hit the post.

The visitors were on top and on 11 minutes they were claiming for a penalty as Grant’s right footed strike was blocked by McGowan for a corner. Following a VAR check which required Willie Collum to go to the monitor to view the incident, the referee awarded the penalty. Shankland stepped up to take the penalty and despite Remi Matthews guessing the correct way he despatched his effort low into the left corner of the net.

On 19 minutes an Alan Forrest cross from the right was brought down well by Andy Halliday however, the midfielder couldn’t direct his strike on target.

PHOTO: Referee Willie Collum awards Hearts a penalty after VAR review of Ryan McGowan’s handball

Saints were forced into a change on 26 minutes as Alex Mitchell came on to replace the injured Melker Hallberg.

On the half an hour mark Shankland played in Josh Ginnelly however, his shot was deflected behind for a corner by Mitchell. However, on 33 minutes Hearts doubled their lead as Halliday played in Alan Forrest who despatched a low strike beyond Matthews.

Looking to get Saints back into the game Drey Wright play in Stevie May with 10 minutes of the first half remaining however, the strike from the forward was too high.

Then on 37 minutes there was VAR check for a possible penalty for Saints following a handball by Cammy Devlin. Willie Collum again consulted the monitor before awarding Saints the spot kick. Carey took the penalty however, he blasted his effort high into the North Stand.

Saints didn’t let that miss affect them as they went on to finish the half strongly. On 42 minutes Ali Crawford saw his strike deflect off Alex Cochrane before hitting the post. Then 2 minutes later May was played in with a fine ball over the top however, Zander Clark got down well to make a fine low save. May got another sight of goal shortly after but this time he elected to cross to the ball to Nicky Clark in the centre of the box however, the danger was cut out by the Hearts defence.

PHOTO: Graham Carey misses his penalty

There was one final chance of the half and it came the visitors deep into the 5 minutes of added on time. Shankland picked out Forrest in the box but Matthews made a great save with his legs to deny the former Livingston midfielder.

Hearts created the first chance of the second half as following good build-up play Grant curled an effort over.

On 54 minutes Saints were handed a route back into the game as they were awarded a penalty following a foul on May by Snodgrass. May took the penalty himself and he despatched the ball beyond Clark to half the deficit.

PHOTO: Stevie May scores from the penalty spot

May was looking lively up top and on the hour mark he fed the ball into Clark whose shot on the turn didn’t trouble Clark as it went wide.

The visitors then made a couple of changes as Michael Smith and Barrie McKay came on to replace Alan Forrest and Jorge Grant and the Gorgie side soon restored their two-goal lead on 64 minutes. McKay made an instant impact after coming on as he gathered the ball about 30 yards from goal and he then cut inside McGowan before unleashing a fine strike beyond Matthews and into the bottom corner of the net.

Callum Davidson looked to his bench and he made a double change as Connor McLennan and Jamie Murphy were brought on as they replaced Nicky Clark and Ali Crawford. That was soon followed by another double change as Ryan McGowan and Graham Carey were replaced by David Wotherspoon and Cammy MacPherson.

On 73 minutes a MacPherson corner from the right picked out Wright on the edge of the box however, his right footed effort went narrowly wide.

Saints were pushing to get back into the game and they pulled a goal back with 11 minutes remaining. Liam Gordon played the ball into the feet of Murphy who then broke into the box from the right, evading a couple of challenges, before sending his strike beyond Clark and into the far corner of the net to setup an interesting final ten minutes.

PHOTO: Jamie Murphy scores for Saints

Now searching for the equaliser Saints pushed forward and on 81 minutes Murphy saw his effort from distance go over and then shortly after May played in Wotherspoon however, his effort went high into the Ormond Stand.

As time ticked away Saints continued to press forward and they came within inches of grabbing an equaliser deep into the four minutes of stoppage time. Murphy sent over an inviting cross from the left and Mitchell got up well to meet the ball however, the header from the on-loan Millwall defender went narrowly over the bar as Hearts saw the game out to secure the 3 points and their first league win in Perth for twelve years.

PHOTO: Alex Mitchell heads over the bar in stoppage time

Saints: Matthews, Wright, McGowan (Wotherspoon 70), Gordon, Considine, Montgomery, Hallberg (Mitchell 26), Carey (MacPherson 70), Crawford (Murphy 65), Clark (McLennan 65), May

Unused Substitutes: Parish (GK), Brown, Phillips, O’Halloran

Booked: Carey, McGowan, Mitchell, Gordon

Scorers: May (55 pen), Murphy (79)

Hearts: Clark, Grant (McKay 63), Shankland, Devlin, Rowles, Halliday, Forrest (Smith 63), Cochrane, Sibbick, Ginnelly (Kiomourtzoglou 77), Snodgrass

Unused Substitutes: Stewart (GK), Atkinson, Neilson, Pollock, McLuckie

Booked: Snodgrass

Scorers: Shankland (14 pen), Forrest (33), McKay (64)

Referee: William Collum

VAR: Grant Irvine

Attendance: 7,058

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Josh Ginnelly is tackled by Melker Hallberg and Ryan McGowan