Hearts almost made to pay for their patience after late penalty miss

Stuart Bathgate
CSABA Laszlo thought it could have ended 6-1 or 7-1 if Hearts had taken 50 or 60 per cent of their chances. Billy Mehmet came within inches of making it 2-2 with a last-gasp header. In the end, though, it was a narrow win for the home side rather than a runaway romp or a draw.
Laszlo was certainly right to say his team should have made their dominance count by more. Hearts were always on top against opponents who had little to offer but hard work and resolute resistance, and whose task was made all the harder when Tonet Gilerao was sent off after half an hour for a second yellow card. But, after taking the lead on the cusp of half-time through a 30-yard strike from Jamie Mole, the Edinburgh side failed to go for the jugular after the break, and in the end needed a penalty to seal the win.

David Obua did enough on his debut here to suggest he could become a pivotal member of the Hearts squad. An incisive passer of the ball, the Ugandan was the home team's most effective performer alongside Michael Stewart in the first half when he was playing in midfield, and the loss of his contribution was felt in the second when he dropped back to fill in for the injured Lee Wallace.

Tonet could have avoided his dismissal if he had shown a little more caution and a little less aggression. His first booking was debatable, as his trip on Jason Thomson may have been caused more by poor timing than by malice, but his second minutes later for clattering into Stewart was thoroughly merited.

Having already shown themselves to be the more inventive and positive side by some way, Hearts felt they did not need to rush to exploit their numerical advantage, and instead kept plugging away with careful build-ups. All the same, a degree of impatience was making itself known among the home support as the interval loomed, so Mole's goal came at an opportune moment.

That should have spelled the end of the contest, but in the second half Hearts were if anything too patient.

St Mirren deserve some of the credit, as they were proving adept at closing down space and forcing Hearts into making lateral or backwards passes. Unfortunately for them, it was their equaliser which ultimately forced Hearts to up the tempo.

St Mirren were awarded a free -kick near the right edge of the penalty box and a chipped delivery was headed back across goal by Jim Hamilton. Obua hesitated momentarily, allowing Hugh Murray to nick in and get the ball to Mehmet, who tapped in at the back post.

Hearts had around 20 minutes in which to reclaim the three points, but they only needed three. Collecting a pass a little inside the box, Andrew Driver turned tightly to get round Franco Miranda, but had his feet taken away from him. Stewart scored from the penalty spot, his precise effort finding the net just inside the right-hand post.

Howard had almost got to that one, and in injury time he was successful when Hearts were awarded a second penalty after Ross Jack had fouled Audrius Ksanavicius. Again Stewart stepped up to take it, again he placed it firmly to the goalkeeper's left, but this time Howard got there in time. That save gave St Mirren renewed hope, but it would have been a gross misrepresentation of the balance of play had Mehmet's late header secured them a point.

Taken from the Scotsman