Efficient Hearts prosper in Paisley

St Mirren 1
Corcoran (78)

Hearts 3
Driver (40), Stewart (56 pen), Velicka (83)

HEARTS finally climbed into the top half of the SPL yesterday as they secured the kind of away victory which will be required on a consistent basis if they are to sustain a position closer to the title race than the relegation battle.

Their win over a gritty but grim St Mirren side was not without controversy, referee John Underhill upsetting the home side with a series of contentious decisions, but it was just about deserved. Hearts remain eight points off the championship pace but have given themselves a platform to at least regain the status of best of the rest behind the Old Firm. With both teams deploying 4-5-1 formations, this was never likely to be high on entertainment value and the flat atmosphere inside Love Street for much of the afternoon was testament to that scenario being fulfilled.

St Mirren's status as the SPL's lowest scoring side so far this season is no surprise on the evidence of both their policy of playing a lone striker at home and the poor quality of their delivery into the penalty area. On several occasions in the first half, they managed to get in behind the Hearts defence only to fail to provide a threatening cross.

Hearts looked to provide support to their solitary front man Christian Nade through Andrew Driver and Audrius Ksanavicius pushing forward whenever the visitors gained possession in the St Mirren half, but their approach was generally just as cautious if often more cultured. St Mirren struggled to test Hearts' debutant goalkeeper, Anthony Basso, who was deputising for the ill Steve Banks. Signed from Auxerre on the final day of the last transfer window, Basso did flap unconvincingly at one Franco Miranda free-kick and was later berated from the sidelines by Stephen Frail for a ludicrous attempt to dribble the ball out of his area which was almost punished by Stewart Kean.

He was also culpable for the goal which gave St Mirren hope of a late comeback, Mark Corcoran punishing Basso's error to head home after Andrew Driver and Michael Stewart, with a softly-awarded penalty, had put Hearts in control. Substitute Andrius Velicka safeguarded the victory by adding a late third goal for Hearts. The eccentric Basso was perhaps fortunate not to have to face a penalty kick when the match was still deadlocked in the first half. Eggert Jonsson appeared to make contact with Stephen O'Donnell rather than the ball as the St Mirren midfielder burst into the area but referee Underhill waved play on.

It was a reprieve Hearts made full use of, taking the lead five minutes before half-time. Stewart's corner eluded everyone to find Driver at the back post whose fierce low first-time shot gave Smith no chance.

Jose Goncalves then survived a claim for handball against him in the penalty area, the referee further infuriating the home supporters with his failure to spot the offence. Just a minute later, the official did point to the spot at the other end of the pitch. Stewart tumbled under the merest hint of a challenge from David Van Zanten and the Hearts midfielder got up to send Smith the wrong way from the spot.

It ought to have made victory comfortable for Hearts, but they could not have legislated for Basso's almost comical inability to cope with cross balls which was finally exposed by St Mirren when Birchall's cross was completely missed by the keeper to allow substitute Corcoran to head into an empty net 12 minutes from time.

St Mirren's notions of salvaging a point from the match were dispelled just five minutes later, however, when Hearts restored their two-goal cushion. Velicka, who had just replaced the tiring Nade, was sent free down the left by Driver's through ball and the Lithuanian striker made a telling first contribution as he surged into the penalty area and toe-poked a clever low shot between Smith and his near post.

St Mirren: Smith, Van Zanten, Potter, Haining (Kean 48), McCay, Birchall, Murray, Mason, O'Donnell (Corcoran 60), Miranda, Mehmet (McGinn 69). Subs not used: Howard, Brittain, Brady, Docherty.

Hearts: Basso, Neilson, Tall, Berra, Goncalves, Kingston, Stewart (Zaliukas 90), Jonsson, Ksanavicius (Elliot 46), Driver, Nade (Velicka 82). Subs not used: Kurskis, Palazuelos, Kancelskis, Ivaskevicius.

Taken from the Scotsman