MacPHERSON HAS A DOR SLAMMER

By Roddy Mackenzie, 21/02/2009

Scorers: HEARTS: Jonsson ST MIRREN: Dorman

See all the Tynecastle action:

ANDY DORMAN shattered Hearts with an injury-time strike to give Saints their sweetest point of the season.

The Buddies were fuming that Hearts refused to move this clash back until today because of their Scottish Cup replay.

The bad feeling boiled over as eight players were booked and Saints gaffer Gus MacPherson got involved in a bust-up with a fan.

Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour sat with the away fans behind the goal instead of in the directors’ box.

Dorman cancelled out Eggert Jonsson’s 78th-minute strike as Saints showed that playing two matches in 48 hours did not cripple them.

MacPherson hit the Perspex dug-out in frustration at one point when things weren’t going Saints’ way and then a fan behind him also battered the dug-out.

A police officer stepped in and spoke to both parties and told the fan to move to another seat.

MacPherson played down the incident later, saying he had a laugh with the fan after it all calmed down.

But there were also some angry words exchanged between the dug-outs at the final whistle.

MacPherson said: “We were swithering whether to take Andy off as he looked knackered. We asked him a couple of times if he was all right but he wanted to stay on.

“We didn’t even mention fatigue either in the build-up to the game or on the day before.

“The players knew last week they would have three matches in seven days and it is up to the players to prepare themselves for that.

“We told the players to be strong mentally and then the physical aspect would take care of itself.” Christos Karipidis was ruled out due to a virus for Hearts and, with Marius Zaliukas still suspended, it meant Robbie Neilson was moved to central defence.

But it left the Jambos short of height in central defence and Billy Mehmet looked eager to take advantage in the early stages.

It was Hearts who had the first effort on goal when David Obua was allowed to gallop from his own half to the edge of the Saints’ area before sending a low shot wide. Saints were guilty of backing off again when Lee Wallace sent a tame shot wide when he had time and space to do better.

The makeshift Hearts’ defence was caught out after 15 minutes when Dorman was left unmarked in the box, but they scrambled it clear.

Saints came close again when Jim Hamilton got his head to a Dorman free-kick at the near post but the ball drifted wide.

It sparked a response from Hearts. Chris Smith parried a shot from Christian Nade and Jack Ross hooked it wide for a corner. Jonsson stuck out a toe to get on the end of Andrew Driver’s cross, but the ball struck the post before Nade lunged at the rebound only to send it wide.

Saints then failed to deal with a deep free-kick from Neilson and when the ball broke to the edge of the box, Bruno Aguiar volleyed wide.

Aguiar had the best effort of the first half with a superbly-struck free-kick which Smith turned over the top.

Ref David Somers was the only man in the stadium who did not see the save and awarded a goal kick. Hearts changed things at half-time and Gary Glen, who had taken a head knock, was replaced by Laryea Kingston, who had been nursing a hamstring injury.

But he was to last less than five minutes as he crumpled in a heap in the Saints half after stretching for the ball.

He was stretchered off after treatment to be replaced by Ruben Palazuelos.

Hearts had a chance when Driver played the ball inside to Michael Stewart, but he lost his footing at a crucial time and Saints survived.

The breakthrough finally came in 78 minutes when Saints failed to deal with an Obua cross and the ball broke for Jonsson to squeeze the ball into the corner of the net.

But the Buddies refused to accept defeat. Sub Craig Dargo headed just over with keeeper Janos Balogh off his line and Hearts stretched at the back.

Saulius Mikoliunas, making his comeback, then had an unbelievable miss as he sliced the ball wildly in front of goal after more good work from Obua.

Just when it looked as if Hearts would hold on, Dorman slid the ball under Balogh in injury-time after Scott Cuthbert had headed the ball on.

Jambos gaffer Csaba Laszlo was furious with his players for dropping two points. He said: “It is disappointing to drop two points, especially at home.

“We had players out and I think it was the shortest Hearts team for five years and from that situation came the goal.

“But I am angry with my players. So many games go to the last minute and my players have to learn from the past. You have to show discipline right to the end.

“We have been in that situation before. It was painful for me, painful for the team and the supporters and what was especially painful was Dundee United and Aberdeen drew.

“If you are focused and have a will to win then you will win every time, but we lost our concentration at the end.”

HEARTS: Balogh, Thomson, Neilson, Jonsson, Lee Wallace, Obua, Aguiar, Stewart (Mikoliunas 76), Driver, Nade, Glen (Kingston 46), Kingston (Palazuelos 51). Subs Not Used: Kello, Mrowiec, Cesnauskis, Elliot.

ST MIRREN: Smith, Ross, Potter (Wyness 89), Cuthbert, Camara, Dorman, Murray (Thomson 57), Brady, McGinn (Dargo 79), Hamilton, Mehmet. Subs Not Used: Howard, Mason, Haining, Barron.