Scorers: ST MIRREN: Hamilton HEARTS: Mikoliunas

By Stuart Darrioch

HEARTS ace Saulius Mikoliunas last night said sorry for the stray boot that knocked out Saints star John Potter.

But it didn’t stop the little Lithuanian, above, putting the boot into Saints with a late strike to deny them victory.

The winger was jeered from the very first minute by Saints fans after his diving exploits against Scotland last year.

And the jeers increased after 27 minutes when his attempted overhead kick connected instead with stopper Potter’s face.

The Saints star was knocked unconcious and had to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher before being taken to hospital, but is expected to be okay.

Miko said: "I am very sorry for the player and I apologised to him. I didn’t see him when I was trying an overhead kick.

"I was worried it was very serious as I saw he was bleeding.

"And I was in a bit of shock after that, but I put it behind me to score."

Miko revealed that Scottish football’s boo-boys don’t bother him.

He added: "I always get stick from the fans to start with. The Scotland stuff is behind me now and I don’t worry.

"The opposition fans shout at all our players. Maybe it has made me stronger."

Hearts gaffer Stevie Frail backed his controversial winger to beat the boo-boys and show he can be a match-winner.

But Frail believes the rival SPL fans are unfairly picking on Mikoliunas and his team-mates.

Shaggy said: "I’m delighted for Miko that he scored.

"It’s difficult for him. We told him after the incident with Scotland what would happen to him and that he needed broad shoulders.

"Now every time he goes down people think it’s a dive - but some tackles on him in recent games have been crude.

"I wouldn’t say his image is undeserved, but there have been incidents, even in this game, when players have gone down easily and not a lot is said. But when one of my players - especially if he's Lithuanian - goes down they are called cheats."

Jim_hamilton

Saints boss Gus MacPherson revealed Potter was only taken to hospital as a precaution and he hopes to have both him and crocked central defensive partner Will Haining back for Tuesday’s Scottish Cup replay against St Johnstone.

But if either miss out he has a ready-made replacement waiting to take his chance.

MacPherson added: "John has been taken up to the hospital just to be on the safe side. He was unconscious on the pitch, but by the time he came off he had regained consciousness.

"But Andy Millen was outstanding when he came on for him.

"He has been desperate to play but we have been playing reasonably well and defending reasonably well and the guys in the team have been keeping him out."

Saints should have had this game done and dusted in the second half with Andy Dorman left wondering how he didn’t get a crucial second goal.

The best early chance fell to the home side after 13 minutes when Ian Maxwell’s shot looked to hit the arm of Hearts skipper Christophe Berra but penalty appeals were waved away.

Saints then suffered a sickening blow when doctors rushed on to the field to attend to Potter after he came off worst against Mikoliunas.

Dorman only joined Saints in January but he has already become a key player for them.

And the midfielder showed his goal threat in 39 minutes with a ferocious shot from long range which flew narrowly over the bar.

Saints grabbed the lead in emphatic fashion when Maxwell’s 59th-minute free-kick wasn’t dealt with by the Hearts defence. Craig Dargo knocked it down into the path of strike partner Jim Hamilton, above, and the targetman rifled a blistering shot high into the net.

The Paisley outfit could have sealed the points 11 minutes later but Dorman’s volley crashed off the post.

Just when it looked as if Hearts were out of it, Mikoliunas hauled them level in 87 minutes when he curled the ball into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Saints hitman Hamilton is backing strike partner Dargo to come good.

He said: "Craig will get goals. If he keeps working like that he will score"

ST MIRREN: Smith 6, Van Zanten 7, Potter 5 (Millen 30, 6), Maxwell 7, Barron 6, McGinn 6 (Murray 76, 6), Mason 6, Dorman 7, Miranda 6, Hamilton 7, Dargo 6 (Mehmet 83, 4). Subs not used: Howard, Kean, Corcoran, Docherty.
HEARTS: Banks 6, Neilson 6, Karipidis 6, Berra 7, Wallace 6, Mikoliunas 7, Palazuelos 6, Jonsson 5 (Stewart 58, 5), Driver 5 (Cesnauskis 39, 5), Mole 5 (Beniusis 67, 5), Elliot 6. Subs not used: Basso, Zaliukas, Ksavavicius, Thomson.