Hearts 1-1 St Mirren

Feb 22 2009 Gavin Berry Reports

GUS MacPHERSON revealed he was set to hook Andy Dorman before the last-gasp hero salvaged a valuable point for the Buddies.

The Paisley men were trailing to Eggert Jonsson's goal in a dour game that did not live up to the bad feeling between the clubs.

Hearts had refused to move the game back 24 hours with St Mirren in Scottish Cup action on Thursday.

Buddies boss Mac feared former MLS star Dorman was feeling the effects of a battling 1-0 win over Motherwell and was in two minds whether to take him off.

But his decision to keep him on was vindicated when the Englishmen grabbed the equaliser in time added on.

MacPherson said: "We were swithering about taking Andy off because he looked absolutely knackered. But he was continuing to make those runs and it paid dividends.

"We had to ask him a couple of times if he was okay but thankfully he was giving us the message that he was because you want to keep all your attacking players on.

"He times his runs so well, I've said it a million times but he's getting his return now.

"You hope when you have attackminded players like Dorman you get one opportunity before the final whistle and we got it."

There was a spat at the end and just before half-time between both dugouts. MacPherson had an angry exchange with a fan who battered the dugout and a policeman stepped in before moving the supporter.

Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour also sat with the visiting fans instead of the directors' box.

But a smiling MacPherson said: "The chairman does that every trip to Edinburgh. He enjoys the social scene."

St Mirren were in action little more than 40 hours after the end of their cup win over Motherwell.

And Hearts refusal to move this clash back 24 hours was a major bone of contention.

Christos Karipidis failed to shrug off a virus and Marius Zaliukas was suspended which meant a makeshift central defensive pairing of skipper Robbie Neilson and Jonsson for the home side.

The Buddies should have made the breakthrough in 17 minutes when Jim Hamilton got on the end of Dorman's free-kick but the striker flashed his header wide.

But from that chance the home side raced up the park and twice in quick succession could have broken the deadlock - with St Mirren saved by their keeper and a post.

Firstly Chris Smith made a good two-handed save to push Christian Nade's powerful shot round a post.

Then from Andrew Driver's corner Jonsson's effort thundered off the base of an upright.

Despite the war of words leading up to it this was far from a dirty game.

But David Somers still managed to take four bookings inside a minute - and the card-happy whistler went on to show another four in the game.

It started with Hugh Murray's tackle on Lee Wallace that earned a caution for the Buddies skipper then Hamilton joined him in the book for complaining.

Nade and Scott Cuthbert soon followed for jostling in the wall and when Bruno Aguiar finally got round to taking the free-kick the ball skimmed off the top of the bar. Smith clearly got a fingertip to the ball but Somers caused more fury by not awarding a corner.

And Jambos boss Csaba Laszlo and MacPherson soon had a heated exchange on the touchline as some much-needed life was injected in to a dull match.

Hearts suffered a blow just five minutes in to the second half when Laryea Kingston - only introduced a the break for Gary Glen who himself had a head knock - went off with a hamstring injury.

Ruben Palazuelos replaced the Ghanaian.

The game looked set to end in a no-score bore until the home side snatched the opener 13 minutes from time - and itwas no surprise the goal was scrappy.

Aguiar's free-kick into the box was hooked back to Obua who fed Jason Thomson. His angled shot was blocked on the line but it rebounded to Jonsson who scrambled the ball home.

Hearts should have added a second when Saulius Mikoliunas shot wide unmarked inside the sixyard box from Obua's cross.

And theyweremade to pay in time added on when Dorman stabbed home from close range after Cuthbert had headed in to his path from Jack Ross' free-kick.

REF WATCH

DAVID SOMERS did not endear himself to the fans with a needless four-booking spree just before half-time. Plenty of dodgy decisions including failing to spot a corner for Hearts when Chris Smith touched Bruno Aguiar's free-kick over. Rating: 5/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail