A well-known villain, but sadly no heroes

A WELL-PLACED shot four minutes from time by the man Scottish crowds love to hate salvaged a point for Hearts and denied St Mirren the three points they must have felt were in the bag. Saulius Mikoliunas's equaliser was a reprieve for the visitors, but not quite enough to ease them into the top six.

With relegation no longer an issue for Saints, even if the match programme had been printed too early to acknowledge the removal of Gretna's ten points for going into administration, the late concession wasn't as damaging as it might have been. Andy Dorman, one of their better players, had two great opportunities in the dying embers to restore the advantage but, given Gretna's predicament, Tuesday's Scottish Cup replay against St Johnstone is the priority for the Paisley side.

A bad facial injury suffered by central defender John Potter cast a shadow over the first half. He was knocked unconscious, he will probably miss the midweek tie. Potter was taken to hospital but had recovered consciousness by the time he was stretchered off. It did nothing to help Mikoliunas's popularity with the home support that his boot had been responsible, but it was, without question a genuine accident.
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A cautious start by both sides came to an end in the 13th minute when a Stephen McGinn corner found its way to Ian Maxwell. The defender had his shot blocked by Christophe Berra but it was a good opportunity squandered.

Hearts, with a rare Scottish strikeforce of Calum Elliot and Jamie Mole, were making little impression in Chris Smith's penalty area, although Elliot had a speculative shot that went past a post on the wrong side. Nevertheless, it was Saints who again had the better opportunity when Berra fouled Jim Hamilton on the edge of the box, but Franco Miranda's free-kick was too high.

There was a contrast in styles, with the visitors more dependent on individual flair and Gus MacPherson's side playing a neat passing game, but neither looked particularly effective in the 30 minutes before Potter was stretched off with his injury.

The injury was inflicted by the man playing the longest season on record as a pantomime villain.

Mikoliunas, a decent young player who is still suffering recriminations following his theatrical dive against Scotland at Hampden, attempted a spectacular overhead kick from 20 yards, but his boot made contact with Potter's face instead of the ball. There was a lengthy delay while Potter, his mouth and nose soaked in blood and unconscious, was treated. On in his place came the evergreen Andy Millen.

St Mirren were lucky to escape going behind a couple of minutes later, with Smith coming to their rescue. Andy Driver got the better of Millen before firing in a shot which the St Mirren goalkeeper saved, and from the corner Smith did very well to make a low diving save to his left as a glancing header from Christos Karipidis looked destined for the net. These were rare moments of goalmouth action in a dull opening 45 minutes, despite Dorman's 25-yard shot which flew just over six minutes from the interval. Endeavour was outshining enterprise on a cold, grey afternoon.

Elliot, who has never fulfilled the promise he showed when he first broke into the Hearts side, nearly changed that just after the resumption when, set up by Mole, he delivered a scorching shot which forced an excellent fingertip save from Smith, who was proving a crucial figure for his team.

Elliot then fired a shot just wide as Hearts went in search of the goals they need to improve their chances of finishing in the top six - but that ambition suffered a severe blow when Jim Hamilton scored his first goal for Saints in the 58th minute.

The build-up was curious as Eggert Jonsson, perhaps aware from the fourth official's board that he was about to be replaced by Michael Stewart, fouled Dorman. Jonsson left the pitch, Stewart came on, and Maxwell took the free kick on the halfway line. The ball reached Craig Dargo, who nodded it into the path of his strike partner and he beat Stevie Banks from six yards.

In terms of improving the spectacle, the goal arrived almost an hour late.

Immediately there was an edge that had been badly lacking. Within minutes, both sides spurned glorious chances. Elliot found himself one-to-one on Smith but waited too long in pulling the trigger and was dispossessed. The striker then blasted a shot over the bar before, at the other end, it was Dorman's turn to run through on Banks after Dargo had played it in. He looked to have sealed the points when the ball escaped Banks but it hit a post and rebounded out.

Stewart then screwed a shot just wide at the other end before, following a corner, the ball fell to Mikoliunas 20 yards out and the Lithuanian did well to dispatch a crisp shot past the sea of bodies to save his side from defeat.

St Mirren substitutes: Millen for Potter 30, Murray for McGinn 76, Mehmet for Darago 83 Not used: Howard, Kean, Corcoran, Docherty Booked: McGinn 56, Miranda 71, Smith 90 Hearts substitutes: Cesnauskis for Driver 38, Stewart for Jonsson 57, Beniusis for Mole 66 Not used: Basso, Zaliukas, Ksanavicius, Thomson Booked: None Referee: W Collum Att: 4557

Taken from the Sunday Herald