EGGERT’S A START TURN

By Stuart Darroch, 08/11/2008

Scorer: HEARTS: Jonnson

HEARTS star Eggert Jonsson last night admitted he had NEVER played at centre-half before — but that didn’t stop him bailing out hothead team-mate Michael Stewart.

The big defender popped up after 79 minutes to secure the Jambos’ first win in six games.

But they almost blew it when Stewart was rightly shown a straight red card for stupidly lashing out at Saints’ Hugh Murray.

It was the third red card of his Hearts career and he faces being hammered by the SFA.

How a man who speaks so well off the field and is an ambassador for PoppyScotland can suddenly turn into a nutcase is only a question he can answer.

This was a defeat Saints brought on themselves as they failed to land a shot on target all day.

It was a tactical masterstroke by Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo after he shuffled Iceland ace Jonsson from right back into the centre and it paid off in style.

Jonsson said: “We are pleased with the win and the three points.

“It’s the first time I’ve played at centre-half for the first team. It’s not my favourite position but as long as I’m in the team I’ll play anywhere.

“To get the goal from the set piece was a bonus.”

Gutted St Mirren boss Gus MacPherson slammed his team’s low-key display but heaped praise on fourth official Bobby Madden for bailing out blunder ref Michael McCurry.

McCurry failed to spot Stewart’s moment of madness with his two assistants also blind to it.

But Madden eventually marched on to the field to demand the Hearts star be punished.

MacPherson said: “It is disappointing to lose the game. By the standards we have set earlier in the season we didn’t pass the ball quickly enough to create the chances.

“The pictures we have seen on the television clearly show a kick from Michael. He nearly takes out two St Mirren players!

“The fourth official was brave to get involved in it and he made the right decision.

“They are instructed to get involved with violent conduct. That’s the only incident they can get involved in.”

Saints ace Murray refused to slam Stewart for his actions but he feared the Tynecastle midfielder was about to get away with no punishment.

Murray said: “I got the back of his boot by accident and then he drove away from me.

“I got to the other side of him and then he barged into me. My first reaction was that it was a sending off. I told Mike McCurry he’d had a kick out at me.

“He said he didn’t see it and the two linesmen didn’t either. I thought nothing was going to happen.”

Hearts suffered a blow before the kick-off when key playmaker Laryea Kingston failed a fitness test.

But they did welcome back Scotland full-back Robbie Neilson into action for the first game back since April 5 following ankle surgery.

Hearts hitman Christian Nade smashed in an early effort at keeper Mark Howard. Then Saints winger Steven Robb fired over the top, but that was about the extent of the action in a tight, tense opening.

Lithuanian winger Saulius Mikoliunas came under fire from the home fans for hitting the turf all too easily.

The game needed someone to set it on fire and Saints defender Franco Miranda almost did just that after 36 minutes with a blistering shot which flew the wrong side of the post.

But the match exploded into life after 42 minutes with Hearts midfielder Stewart at the centre of it all.

Eventually, McCurry calmly walked up to Stewart and pulled a red card from his back pocket, sparking furious reactions from the Hearts players and also bench.

The angry Jambos were still arguing with the official as they walked off the field at the break.

Just when it looked like it would be a stalemate Hearts grabbed a goal.

Andrew Driver’s 79th minute free-kick was met by the head of Jonsson and his effort from six yards flashed into the bottom corner.

Happy Hearts boss Laszlo refused to slam Stewart, preferring instead to praise his side.

Laszlo said: “The most important question for me is not the problem of the red card.

“The most important question is how do I find the solution.

“My players deserve credit for the way they handled the situation.

“But we are used to it having played with 10 men against Rangers and Celtic.”

ST MIRREN: Howard, Ross, Haining, Potter, Miranda, Brady (Dorman 46), Murray, Mason, Robb, Wyness (Hamilton 62), Mehmet (Dargo 69). Subs not used: Smith, McAusland, McGinn, McShane.

HEARTS: Balogh, Thomson, Jonsson, Berra, Wallace, Mikoliunas (Neilson 27), Stewart, Palazuelos, Aguiar, Driver (Obua 89), Nade (Mole 80). Subs not used: Kello, Makela, Templeton, Rapnik.