Hearts sunk deeper into the relegation zone with a home defeat against a St
Johnstone side who now have their sights firmly set on Europe.
Hearts were never able to recover from two goals in the space of four minutes
in the second half.
St Johnstone are now just two points behind third-placed Kilmarnock and are
aiming to make European football for the first time since 1971-72 when they took
the scalp of Hamburg, on their UEFA Cup run.
Hearts are five points above bottom-placed Dunfermline who will take
encouragement from this result after their game against Kilmarnock was called
off today.
Early on, Hearts did all the pressing. Austrian Thomas Flogel created a couple
of chances, the best of which was saved by Alan Main after his 20-yard shot took
a deflection off Alan Kernaghan.
On 19 minutes, midfielder Vincent Guerin nearly edged Hearts in front, but his
20-yard drive shaved the right post, and Jim Hamilton curled a shot just wide
from the edge of the box as Hearts continued to dominate.
On 32 minutes, Saints' Alan Kernaghan headed over his own crossbar from
Guerin's dangerous cross from the right. The resultant Stuart Callaghan corner
on the left produced an incredible save.
The ball broke out to midfielder Guerin whose 20-yard drive deflected off
Jambos' striker Jim Hamilton and appeared net-bound. Somehow, Main managed to
get down to the effort and turn it around his post.
Hearts continued the second period the way they had left off, pressing for the
breakthrough.
But it was the visitors who nearly broke the deadlock when Darren Dods sent
his header inches past from a Gary Bollan free-kick on 51 minutes.
Saints took confidence and began to create more space and on 59 minutes, they
took the lead with a sensational strike.
Roddy Grant laid off it off to Philip Scott whose 25-yard screamer into the
top right corner would have graced any match.
Within four minutes, Hearts were all but out of it when midfielder Paul Kane
sent a crisp shot into the bottom left corner of the net.
On 70 minutes, Hearts boss Jim Jefferies made a double substitution bringing
on Gary McSwegan and Colin Cameron for Stephane Adam and Vincent Guerin.
It was Cameron's first game since returning from long-term injury, and he
received a tremendous reception from the Hearts support.
Gary McSwegan almost made an immediate entry on the score sheet, but his
powerful shot was well saved by Main. Hearts battled away but Saints continued
to frustrate them to the end.
Teams
Hearts: McKenzie, McPherson, Naysmith, Fulton (Quitongo 76),
Adam (McSwegan 70), Hamilton, Locke, Flogel, Pressley, Callaghan,
Guerin (Cameron 70).
Subs Not Used: Horn, Strang.
Booked: McSwegan.
St Johnstone: Main, McQuillan, Dasovic, Kernaghan, Scott, O'Neil,
Grant, Kane, Bollan, Dods, Lowndes (Simao 83).
Subs Not Used: O'Halloran, Ferguson, Griffin, McBride.
Booked: Kernaghan.
Goals: Scott 59, Kane 63.
Att: 12,229
Ref: H Dallas (Motherwell).
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