St Mirren 2 Hearts 1

By Lisa Gray, Press Association Sport Chief Scottish Football Writer

St Mirren finally ended their home hoodoo with a first Clydesdale Bank Premier League win at their new stadium against Hearts.

The Buddies moved to the Greenhill Road area of Paisley back in January but had toiled in league matches until Craig Dargo's impressive winner finally ended their long wait.

The Jambos had taken the lead through Jose Goncalves in what was their first visit to the new St Mirren Park but Steven Thomson levelled for Saints before Dargo grabbed the decisive goal.

Saints boss Gus MacPherson made two changes from the side that lost to Celtic last week, with Lee Mair back from suspension and Andy Dorman also starting, while Chris Innes and Garry Brady dropped to the bench.

Hearts also made two changes for the trip to Paisley. In came Lee Wallace and Ruben Palazuelos after missing out through injury and illness respectively and out went the injured Marius Zaliukas and Ian Black.

The Jambos could have been ahead with only two minutes on the clock when Craig Thomson's corner found the towering figure of David Witteveen in the box but he was denied the opener when his header was hooked off the line by Steven Thomson.

David Obua then tried his luck with a powerful shot from just outside the box but his effort flashed just past St Mirren goalkeeper Paul Gallacher's left-hand post.

Saints had the chance to put pressure on their visitors when they won a free-kick on the edge of the area. Dorman picked out Stephen McGinn at the back post but he connected awkwardly and his header fell wide.

Gallacher was called into action to tip a Suso Santana shot just over the crossbar, before Obua saw his effort from the resulting corner cleared off the line.

But the Saints keeper was picking the ball out of the back of the net with 31 minutes gone when Goncalves threw himself in front of Craig Thomson's corner and directed a header past Gallacher.

Hearts should have doubled their lead a few moments later when Suso took advantage of an unfortunate slip by Gallacher and rounded the keeper only to be denied by a last-gasp block from Mair after taking too long to unleash the shot.

The Edinburgh side were left ruing that missed opportunity when Saints hauled themselves level after 38 minutes. McGinn's cross found Dorman at the back post and his attempted shot broke to Steven Thomson to rifle home.

Hearts had a chance to restore their lead early in the second half when Suso won a free-kick just outside the box and Craig Thomson's swerving shot forced a decent save from Gallacher, who did well to parry past the post.

Innes had replaced Mair at the break and Saints shuffled their pack again when Hugh Murray made way for Tom Brighton, who set up St Mirren's second of the day when he nodded on for Dargo to send a superb volley past Janos Balogh with 64 minutes gone.

Hearts suffered a further blow with 15 minutes remaining when Witteveen left the pitch on a stretcher following a collision with Innes.

The visitors could have restored parity late on but Obua nodded narrowly wide from a corner and the chance was lost.

Saints could then have put the outcome beyond doubt when Innes connected well with a Dorman corner only to see his shot saved by the keeper but the home side managed to hold on for their long-awaited home triumph.

Teams:

St Mirren Gallacher, Ross, Potter, Mair (Innes 46), Barron,Dorman (O'Donnell 90), Thomson, Murray (Brighton 61), McGinn,Dargo, Mehmet.

Subs Not Used: Howard, Brady, Burns, Faulds.

Goals: Thomson 38, Dargo 65.

Hearts Balogh, Craig Thomson, Goncalves, Bouzid, Wallace,Santana (Nade 67), Palazuelos, Obua,Michael Stewart (Robinson 78), Driver, Witteveen (Black 73).

Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Templeton, Jonsson, Kucharski.

Goals: Goncalves 31.

Att: 4,652

Ref: B Winter (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com