Hearts prop open the door to Europe

Ray Hepburn

7 Mar 1991

Hearts 2, St Johnstone 1

HEARTS, experienced European travellers in the last few seasons, earned themselves the right to keep their passports at the ready for next season with a narrow, sometimes untidy, but deserved victory over St Johnstone at Tynecastle last night.

The Edinburgh team were still less than convincing though, although the excellence of their two well-crafted goals indicates that they still possess the cohesion developed over many seasons.

St Johnstone still had their industry from the opening months of the season, but perhaps the number of former part-time players they have in their side is catching up with them, as the pace required at this level seemed to be missing.

Hearts were forced into a reshuffle after nine minutes, when Alan McLaren was forced off with a nose injury, but George Wright was able to come in to the right back position without disrupting their pattern.

The Tynecastle side had quickly established a fair superiority in terms of possession and pressure, but their play lacked the guile to create clear-cut chances.

That early trend was emphasised in 20 minutes, when a Dave McPherson lob released Wayne Foster in the penalty box, but young Keith Nicholson shuffled across to block the striker's shot.

St Johnstone's best effort in the opening period was a Gary McGinnis 25-yard shot which drifted a foot too high, but that hint was soon to become harsh reality for Hearts exactly three minutes later.

Roddy Grant found the home back four looking square with his lofted through pass and former Tynecastle striker Allan Moore reached the ball ahead of Nicky Walker on the edge of the penalty area to lift it into the net.

Four minutes from the interval the Tynecastle team engineered the goal their prominence had earned, even if chances were still not plentiful.

Foster picked out John Robertson with a pass just inside the penalty area and his clever back-heel gave Derek Ferguson the time and space to score his first goal for Hearts from 12 yards.

The Perth team tried to change the pattern of the match early in the second half -- and Kenny Ward almost did the trick with his lofted free kick which was headed down by Grant, but Walker kept Hearts level with a comfortable save.

The Tynecastle team looked for a penalty after 53 minutes, when Mark Treanor looked to push Foster in the back as they raced into the penalty area, and that attack was evidence of Hearts looking for an extra gear.

Two minutes later they almost took the lead when Gary Mackay crossed from the right to Tosh McKinlay.

The full back headed the ball into Ferguson's path and the former Rangers man tested Lindsay Hamilton with crisp, low drive from the edge of the area.

However, with 18 minutes left Hearts broke through again with a delightful goal.

Ferguson started the slick passing sequence when he found Foster on the right.

He exchanged passes with Robertson before finding John Colquhoun at the far post and the winger directed his header into the net at Hamilton's right.

HEARTS -- Walker, Sandison, McKinlay, Levein, Mackay, McPherson, Colquhoun, McLaren, Foster, Ferguson, Robertson.

Substitutes -- Crabbe, Wright.

ST JOHNSTONE -- Hamilton, Treanor, Baltacha, McVicar, Nicolson, McGinnis, Moore, Davies, Ward, Grant, Curran.

Substitutes -- Heddle, MacDonald.

Referee -- J R Renton (Cowdenbeath).

Taken from the Herald