Henry's record leap

ray hepburn

9 Jan 1989

Hearts 2, St Mirren 0

THERE was something particularly committed about Henry Smith's last-minute leap to fist away Kenny McDowall's downward header at Tynecastle, other than professionalism, when the game had long since been won and lost.

The 32-year-old, signed for £2000 seven years ago from Leeds United, had been keeping a secret.

For that fine save, which completed a miserable day for the Paisley team, meant that he was breaking the Edinburgh club's record for clean sheets in league fixtures.

That had previously been the possession of Jim Cruickshank, who had remained unbeaten in 102 matches from 390 league starts.

Saints failure to bend the tall keeper's back, allowed him to top that figure with 100 fixtures to spare.

The miner's son would be the first to admit that Saturday's fourth successive home win without conceding a goal was one of his easier afternoons, for the Paisley players were engaged in other pursuits, at the other end, as John Colquhoun demanded undivided attention.

The tiny striker, who counted a first Scotland cap among the rewards for a super season last winter, has struggled to find the excitement in his boots this time around, until recently.

Against Celtic, Hibs and on Saturday the zest returned.

"One obvious factor is that my confidence has returned and with it some of the adventure in my game.

The two-week Christmas break was another factor," reflected Colquhoun.

"Between reaching the semi-final of the Skol Cup and going through the three rounds in Europe, we've been denied the chance to do any meaningful work away from matches and recover from niggling knocks."

It was fitting that he should have a key role in the goals that earned Hearts their first points of the year, when he slid in the first from close range and made the second after the interval for Tosh McKinlay with a typical rush to the line and tempting cross.

That ended the fun for the men from Paisley, although they had lacked appetite for the contest, long before the finish.

"Hearts might have been four ahead by half-time and we had lost the will to win," lamented Saints manager, Tony Fitzpatrick.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Berry, Whittaker, McPherson, Colquhoun, Galloway, Robertson, Mackay, Black.

Substitutes -- Ferguson, Bannon.

ST MIRREN -- Fridge, Wilson, Winnie, Hamilton, Godfrey, Walker, McGarvey, Martin, McWalter, Davies, Weir.

Substitutes -- Lambert, McDowall.

Referee -- D T McVicar (Carluke).