St Johnstone 2 Hearts 2

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Robert Tomaschek's late late show allowed Hearts to claw St Johnstone back for a 2-2 draw at McDiarmid Park.

Tomaschek's effort - added to a Kris O'Neil strike - was enough to cancel out Saints' goals, scored by Keigan Parker and Graeme Jones.

But the signs look ominous for Jim Jeffries' men heading into Thursday's UEFA Cup clash with Icelandic IBV.

Saints' Alan Kernaghan posed a threat to his own goal after only six minutes when he intercepted Fitzroy Simpson's cross in the box.

He attempted to nod the ball back to his own keeper but forced Alan Main into a stretch for the ball.

Five minutes later Simpson slid a cross through to Scott Severin in front of Main's goal, but he failed to connect properly and the chance was wasted.

After 16 minutes youngster Parker had a go for St Johnstone with a shot from the corner of the 18-yard box only to see it float over the crossbar.

A minute later Colin Cameron found himself in the referee's book for a nasty challenge on Nick Dasovic.

But Cameron himself became the victim on 22 minutes when he was brought down by Jim Weir, who was cautioned for his efforts.

Saints' Mohammed Sylla went on a solo run before laying off to John Paul McBride, but his finish was poor and he sent the shot screaming over the crossbar.

The breakthrough came on 31 minutes when St Johnstone took advantage of Steven Pressley's temporary sideline absence through injury.

Jim Weir looked to have squeezed in Saints' opener at the near post from a McBride corner but the goal was credited to young striker Parker.

Even so the Jambos fought back and Cameron's 25-yard drive called keeper Main into action again five minutes before the break.

A couple of minutes later the Perth side's goal was threatened again when Steve Fulton's cross was met by Severin, whose header forced Main into a superb save.

Saints should have added their second 10 minutes into the second half. A Jones glancing header from Sylla's cross forced keeper Antti Niemi into a terrific save before Tommy Lovenkrands sent the rebound over the crossbar.

Gary Bollan picked up a booking on 63 minutes when he holed down Juanjo on the edge of the box but Kernaghan cleared Lee Makel's resultant free kick.

St Johnstone doubled their lead in the 73rd minute when Lovenkrands sent a cross to former Wigan player Jones, who fired past Niemi from five yards after a blunder by Pressley.

Hearts pulled a goal back seven minutes from time when Sylla got in the way of Main allowing O'Neil to clip the keeper's shoulder and bounce over the line.

O'Neil turned provider in the last minute of the game when he flicked on to Tomaschek, who grabbed Hearts' second to snatch a point.

Teams

St Johnstone: Main, Bollan, Dasovic, Weir, Kernaghan (Dods 64), Lovenkrands, Jones, Kane, Sylla, McBride, Parker (Connolly 87).

Subs Not Used: Cuthbert, Russell, McCulloch.

Booked: Weir, Bollan, Lovenkrands, Jones.

Goals: Parker 31, Jones 73.

Hearts: Niemi, Pressley, Petric (Makel 54), Fulton, Cameron, Jackson (O'Neil 66), Flogel, Simpson (McSwegan 54), Severin, Juanjo, Tomaschek.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Murray.

Booked: Cameron, Flogel, McSwegan.

Goals: O'Neil 82, Tomaschek 89.

Att: 6,164

Ref: J Rowbottom (Scotland).


Taken from sportinglife.com