Crabbe breaks the deadlock. Godfrey sent off and six booked.

JAMES TRAYNOR

30 Aug 1990

St Mirren 0, Hearts 1

(after extra time)

WATCHING these teams set about one another for the second time in four days was not easy on the eye, and it almost felt as though all 6860 of us inside Love Street were being punished when the Skol Cup tie careered into extra time.

A further half hour did not improve the standard much, but it did produce a goal.

Robertson played a through ball to Crabbe, a replacement for Colquhoun in 101 minutes, and he chipped over Money into the net.

Seven minutes remained, but it was all over.

The crowd began to drift away, among them world snooker champion Stephen Hendry, who had come to watch Hearts.

Perhaps he'll think twice before following his team further in this competition.

There must be better ways of escaping from the pressures of his own business.

The clubs knew that the winners would be rewarded with a quarter-final tie at Aberdeen next week, yet neither side coloured their work with enough flair.

When they met at Tynecastle last Saturday six players were booked, but no-one seemed to have learned any lessons, for six more -- Lambert and Shaw of St Mirren, and Hearts' McLaren, McKinlay, Ferguson, and Berry -- were shown yellow cards.

The worst offender, however, was Godfrey, who was sent off in 66 minutes after a tackle from behind which prevented Robertson from homing in on goal.

Godfrey earlier had been booked for a clumsy challenge which left McPherson on his knees and his departure meant that St Mirren had to rearrange their back line -- Martin dropped back from midfield -- and dig deep to avoid being overrun in extra time.

At least Godfrey didn't have to watch the rest of the game and he will not care to think back on his part in it, either.

Had the tall defender not been so rash, his team might still be in the cup.

The game's crime count does nothing to dispel fears that Saturday's opening-day madness was a one-off.

Again too many players let their passion simmer over and the number of mistimed and clumsy tackles was appalling.

The game was beamed live throughout Britain and was hardly a good advert for the Scottish game.

Football, as well as St Mirren, lost last night.

There were not many exciting moments in the match and it was a case of both teams determined not to concede any territory rather than allow any freedom of expression.

When McPherson felt the weight of a McWalter challenge early on, the tone was set.

The activity of the players sometimes made the game look better than it actually was and it was necessary to look beyond the thundering hooves and fiery tackles to see what was really happening.

There were too many untidy performers, and the passing was not always crisp, perhaps because it was becoming increasingly dangerous as the night wore on to dwell on the ball.

The first real opportunity fell to St Mirren after a good run by Stickroth, who slipped the ball inside from the right to Martin.

A return ball should have been played to Stickroth, who had galloped through the defensive line, but Martin tried a 20-yard shot which Smith held safely.

The Tynecastle side were in slightly more positive mood after the interval but St Mirren, even after they had lost Godfrey, refused to be subdued and lived in hope until Crabbe struck.

ST MIRREN -- Money, Wishart, Black, Lambert, Godfrey, Manley, Shaw, Martin, Stickroth, McWalter, Kinnaird.

Substitutes -- Dawson, McDowell.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, McCreery, McPherson, Colquhoun, Ferguson, Robertson, Mackay, Berry.

Substitutes -- Crabbe, Bannon.

Referee -- D McVicar (Carluke).

Taken from the Herald