Hearts unable to break the Saints' barrier

RAY HEPBURN

31 Oct 1991

Hearts 0, St Mirren 0

HEARTS ended the week the way they started it -- in joint leadership of the premier division, but second on goal difference.

They will be annoyed with themselves for not moving to the top on their own last night.

You could not fault their endeavour, and they earned the vast bulk of the possession, but an unusual shortage of ideas up front gave the reinforced St Mirren defence the encouragement they needed.

Their manager David Hay called for industry from his players and that plea was certainly answered, particularly by Brian Martin and Lex Baillie at the back.

There was a consolation for Hearts in the performance of 21-year-old, £100,000 striker Ian Ferguson.

His first moment of promise came after eight minutes when his overhead kick from a John Robertson cross beat keeper Les Fridge but was cleared off the line by Martin.

The St Mirren goalkeeper needed assistance from a defender again after 22 minutes when Dave McPherson powered his header from a Derek Ferguson corner towards the net, but Lex Baillie was the covering player on this occasion.

Although the Paisley team spent much of the night defending, they were eager enough to break.

Hearts produced intense pressure at the start of the second half, and after a superb Craig Levein diagonal pass released McKinlay, Ferguson almost made contact with the final ball at the near post.

They came closer still after 49 minutes, when John Robertson thundered a free kick off post from 30 yards, and the ball cannoned off Fridge only to strike an upright again.

Hearts manager Joe Jordan tried to change the pattern after 69 minutes when introducing Steve Penney and George Wright for Scott Crabbe and the injured Craig Levein, and the switch very nearly paid off.

Ten minutes from time John Robertson laid the ball back perfectly into the little Irish winger's path, and his low shot was touched on to post by Fridge, and the ball bounced back into his arms.

Three Saints were booked -- Baillie, Irvine, and McDowall.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, Mackay, McPherson, Crabbe, D Ferguson, I Ferguson, Millar, Robertson.

Substitutes -- Penney, Wright.

ST MIRREN -- Fridge, Martin, Black, McDowall, Baillie, Manley, Lambert, Irvine, Torfason, Charnley, Broddle.

Substitutes -- McGowne, McGill.

Referee -- B McGinlay (Balfron).

Taken from the Herald