St Johnstone 3 Hearts 0

By Simon Buckland, PA Sport

Form counted for more than reputation at Easter Road as St Johnstone exploited Hearts' recent slump to earn a well-deserved Scottish League Cup final with Rangers next month.

The Perth outfit have only once before reached a domestic final and that was 29 years ago in the same competition, but two goals in the closing minutes of the opening half set up their reward.

Nick Dasovic after 41 minutes and Allan Preston right on half-time both struck from distance with history secured after 87 minutes courtesy of a George O'Boyle goal for an emphatic winning margin.

For manager Sandy Clark, only 51 days into his tenure at McDiarmid Park, the achievement is remarkable and ironically enjoyed against the side which dispensed with his services four years' ago.

He will share credit for this assured display with Paul Sturrock, who when he departed for Dundee United left a solid foundation for his successor to build upon.

Hearts, despite their poor league form of late, were favourites and took three sides of the Edinburgh stadium, but their spark has gone from last year's electric Scottish Cup success.

Expectation is proving no less of a burden for Hearts than the pressure of ending those barren years without silverware and the jeers at the finish reflected their support's anguish.

Manager Jim Jefferies has introduced only free transfers in the close season and it was difficult to avoid the conclusion that too many of his side were good for nothing on this occasion.

French striker Stephane Adam returned for Hearts after a recent throat problem but looked well below-par, while defender Gary Locke's surprise start demoted Steven Pressley to the bench.

There might have been a low key feel to proceedings, but Hearts boss Jefferies was impassioned from the outset and was reprimanded for his vocals as early as the seventh minute.

The Hearts support found altogether less to shout about in a sluggish opening, with a Dasovic pass after nine minutes releasing Miguel Samao whose flicked effort cleared the crossbar.

Jim Hamilton managed a close range effort wide for Hearts after 14 minutes, but the next clear chance again went to Saints, Locke's saving tackle denying a clean-through Preston.

The atmosphere briefly soured after 28 minutes when a bad tackle by Paul Kane, a former Hibernian midfielder, left Vincent Guerin grounded and Kane was booked but no serious injury resulted.

Saints were now pressing hard and good work by O'Boyle fed John O'Neil after 39 minutes but the midfielder, seemingly having beaten Gilles Rousset, hesitated and the keeper recovered.

Two minutes later Hearts were behind, a corner from the left only half-cleared and Dasovic fired a powerful half-volley beyond the reach of Rousset from the edge of the area.

Jefferies' men were stunned, but their punishment was doubled in the closing minute of the half, Preston creating time and space before unleashing a magnificent 25-yard angled drive.

Suddenly in the space of four minutes the tie was transformed with St Johnstone, who had gained the edge but little more, now the dominant force courtesy of two fine long-range strikes.

The new plans to redevelop Easter Road including a plan to raise the roof, without doubt Jefferies will have started that process early as he was visibly fuming at half-time.

He substituted both Guerin and the ineffectual Stefano Salvatori, Jose Quitongo and Thomas Flogel joining the fray but soon adopting their team-mates' lethargy.

Hamilton's ambitious claim for a penalty was rejected after 48 minutes when he seemed to run into John McQuillan, but Saints, who relinquished a two-goal lead at Kilmarnock on Saturday, were edgy.

They sensed the need for a third and O'Boyle wasted a potential opportunity after 50 minutes failing to find Simao, and a Fulton drive from distance, powerful but wide, showed a threat remained.

Rob McKinnon came closer still after 66 minutes from similar range to that with which Preston had found the target, but Alan Main proved equal to a low goalward bound shot pushing the ball to safety.

Quitongo's trickery culminated in a precise cross for his fellow sub Flogel after 70 minutes, but the Austrian headed straight into the body of McQuillan.

As the minutes passed St Johnstone's comfort increased and they pushed forward in a late bid to complete their evening in style.

Substitute Nathan Lowndes raced down the left before cutting the ball back for O'Boyle whose 87th minute finish was low and clinical.

It was one last dose of misery for the already broken Hearts.

Teams

St Johnstone: Main, McQuillan, Preston (McMahon 88), Dasovic, Kernaghan, O'Neil, O'Boyle (Grant 89), Kane, Bollan, Dods, Simao (Lowndes 71).

Booked: Kernaghan, Kane, Lowndes.

Goals: Dasovic 41, Preston 45, O'Boyle 87.

Hearts: Rousset, McPherson, Weir, Salvatori (Quitongo 45), Ritchie, Fulton, Adam, Hamilton, Locke, McKinnon, Guerin (Flogel 45).

Subs Not Used: Pressley.

Booked: Locke.

Att: 12,027

Ref: W Young (Clarkston).

Taken from sportinglife.com