Saints prove they are alive and well

JIM REYNOLDS

17 Dec 1990

ST JOHNSTONE have a message for everyone who said their bubble had been burst after their heavy defeat by Rangers at Ibrox.

They have inflated it again and reinforced their resolution to be part of the premier division for a lot longer than most thought.

Hearts, for the second time this season, were the victims of a side who just don't know what it is

to sit back and take a caning from their supposed betters.

McDiarmid Park, shrouded in mist, was again the setting for one of those little tales of the unexpected, and the fair city of Perth is still a place where the citizens puff out their chests

when football is the topic of conversation.

Saints won 2-1, eventually hanging on for the points in the face of a furious Hearts onslaught over the last 20 minutes or so, and the league table shows them sitting in fourth place with a widening gap opening between them and those who had much grander plans when the campaign started.

But still they don't crow at McDiarmid Park.

People don't raise thumbs or throw fists in the air.

The loudest voice in the place comes from the television set announcing results from the rest of the country, and Europe is still regarded as a place where the more fortunate can go for a holiday.

There was just one noticeable little change at the weekend -- mild-mannered manager Alex Totten cracked just enough to show annoyance at the people who have been all too ready to write off his side at the first sign of a stumble.

"I hope we'll now hear no more about shock wins for St Johnstone," he told us.

"Having lost 4-1 at Ibrox in our last match, too many people thought we had shot our bolt, but against Hearts, in what was a real battle because of the conditions, my players again showed how good they are.

"We are in fourth place in the league, and it's no fluke.

We deserve to be where we are, because we have continually proved we are a good side and that we are a credit to the premier division.

I'm fed up with those who express surprise every time we win."

So, coming to the half-way stage of the season in such a healthy position, has Totten set his heights any higher than he did back in August when survival was the target?

The man didn't hesitate in his answer.

"No, our target in our first season back in the premier division was still to be a part of it next season, and that hasn't changed.

There's still a long way to go and I'll be happy if we achieve our original target.

Anything else would be a bonus."

Saints looked slightly hung over from Ibrox in the early stages on Saturday and were hemmed deep in their own territory for long spells as Hearts applied steady pressure.

The Tynecastle side were winning the midfield battle, but missed a few chances.

I don't know what the Russian phrase is for "blow this for a game of soldiers," but Saints' Soviet defender, Sergei Baltacha, must have muttered it to himself after having spent almost 40 minutes sweeping up in front of his goalkeeper.

All of a sudden Baltacha appeared in a forward midfield position to thread a magnificent pass through the Hearts' defence, where John Davies was waiting to score his first goal for the club.

It acted like an injection of confidence, as the Saints then took control and it was no surprise when Steve Maskrey took advantage of a defensive error to add a second goal after 62 minutes.

Hearts then showed a good attitude in gathering themselves together and with Scott Crabbe, now only fully recovered from a bout of food poisoning after three months, on for Wayne Foster they gave the home side a torrid time of it.

Crabbe pulled one back with a blistering free kick 15 minutes from time, and Hearts then had several chances to save the match.

The best chance of all, however, fell to defender Davie McPherson, who rattled the bar, and the points stayed at home.

But don't tell Alex Totten it was a shock win -- it wasn't.

Taken from the Herald