Hands up if you're lucky, Hearts

Paul Sinclair
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17 Nov 1997

Hearts 2 St Johnstone 1

If winning when you are not playing well is the sign of champions, and benefiting from bad refereeing the mark of a winner, then put your money on Hearts for the premier division championship.

Drawing 1-1 in the final minute of a match in which St Johnstone were probably the better side, Neil McCann swung a last hope free-kick into the penalty area.

St Johnstone defender Andy Kernaghan, sandwiched between two Hearts players, appeared to be pushed in the back and as he tried to break his fall with one hand, the other went up into the air and the ball hit it.

Referee Stuart Dougal did what he was happiest with all afternoon and blew his whistle, this time to award a penalty from which Colin Cameron scored.

At best, it was a soft penalty, but the hard fact is that it allowed Hearts to extend their lead at the top of the division to three points.

''We got a break with the penalty,'' was how Hearts manager Jim Jefferies put it.

Kernaghan saw the break with brutality.

''We are still bitter about the result,'' he said.

''It was a very harsh penalty.

I went to head the ball but was hit from behind.

I put my hand up, and I suppose I did handle the ball, but I was not looking at it at the time.

It could hardly be said to be an intentional hand-ball.'' To be fair, Hearts had possibly been unfortunate four minutes earlier when they had a goal disallowed.

Steve Fulton hit a 20-yard shot which looked to be going wide before Jose Quitongo scampered in to touch the ball home.

As the Angolan, with the spring of a small rubber toy, cartwheeled away, the linesman raised his flag to bring the celebrations to an end, and gestured to the infuriated Jefferies that two Hearts players had been off-side.

Maybe, but it was awfully close.

Hearts did have an edge in front of goal which ensured the scoreline did not reflect the amount of the possession the two sides had.

After a bright start to the match, it was St Johnstone's passing which was the crisper.

They failed to make it count in the first half, however, and only three minutes into the second were punished for it when Neil McCann flighted in a cross which Thomas Flogel headed into the net.

St Johnstone, though, stuck to their game plan and outpassed Hearts.

Midway through the second half, a rush of blood to the head saw them pin Hearts back and the home defence seemed to panic.

When McQuillan, having been put into space on the right by a clever pass from Paul Kane, played a low cross into the penalty area, George O'Boyle was unmarked as he gathered the ball and drilled it into the net for the equalizer.

It was at least what the visiting side deserved, and while the eventual result was far from pleasing for St Johnstone manager Paul Sturrock, he saw the performance in perspective.

''That was the best football we have played all season, and we lost,'' Sturrock said.

''We have had matches when we have been very disappointed with our performance and won.

We had five or six clear-cut chances but we are not as clinical in front of goal as we should be.

I was delighted with the performance in trying circumstances.' Sturrock had to field half-fit players such as Jim Weir, Leigh Jenksinson and Nick Dasovic, but still they looked the part.

There was little sympathy from Hearts manager Jefferies, however.

He could rightly reflect on the fact that they had just won the sort of match that they would have drawn or lost on last season's form.

''We ground out a result,'' he said.

''When you are at the top there is pressure on you, a marvellous pressure.

But with each game that passes we are learning to be patient, not to panic.

We have to be a bit quicker in our passing, but the good thing is that we are winning these games.'' Hearts were well below their best, but if they can fail to dominate and still win then Jefferies knows his side will not be far away at the end of the season, although he still refuses to look beyond the next game.

While St Johnstone had the bulk of the play, in McCann, Flogel and Steve Fulton, Hearts had players who were persistent and focused enough to wait for their chance and take it.

Jefferies was also effusive in his praise of the supporters who indeed showed patience and backed the team even in the long spells in which they failed to perform.

Hearts supporters have learned how to be patient in the 35 years they have waited to see a trophy.

The championship trophy may not be the one which breaks the drought, but this side looks like one which will reward patience soon.

Next games: Hearts - Kilmarnock (h).

St Johnstone - Hibernian (h).

Taken from the Herald