Hearts lose lead and the match in 2-1 home defeat

Hearts dreadful start to the season is just not stopping as St Johnstone came to town as took all three points in 2-1 away victory.

Christian Nade's terrific first half strike gave Hearts the lead but goals from Collin Samuel and Jonatan Johnansson reversed the scoreline and kept Hearts firmly routed in the bottom six.

A lively start to the match brought the first opportunity on eight minutes courtesy of the home side when David Obua, back in the team to replace the injured Andrew Driver, broke down the left before squaring the ball to Ian Black in the six yard area. Under pressure the midfielder managed to get to the ball first but could only divert it wide of goal.

The bright beginning didn't last long as the game quickly bogged down into a scrappy encounter and as time ticked by the home fans began to show their frustration towards their underperforming heroes.

Then out of absolutely nothing Hearts had the lead and Christian Nade had his first goal of the season. And what a goal it was. The big French forward let fly 30 yards from goal with a thunderous effort that smashed into the far corner, lifted the roof off Tynecastle and got Nade on the scoresheet for the first time since the Valentine's day win over Aberdeen.

That moment of unexpected genius gave life to the home side and they should have doubled their lead two minutes later. Ruben Palazuelos swung his left foot and made contact with nothing but thin air when Jose Goncalves' skewed attempt at goal broke to the Spaniard five yards out.

A minute later and Hearts continued to pile on the pressure. David Obua won a 50-50 in the middle of the park and suddenly found himself with the opportunity to race through on goal. Inexplicably the Ugandan headed out wide with little reason to and his eventual shot from an angle was partially blocked before Nade failed to make contact with an attempted overhead kick.

The performance that Hearts had built towards the end of the first half failed to reappear for the start of the second as St Johnstone put the home team under sustained pressure from the restart.

Constant pressure in the Hearts' half paid off for the visitors when Filipe Morais edged a yard on Jason Thomson and his cross from the byline found the head of Collin Samuel who levelled the scores from six yards out.

With twenty minutes of the game remaining the Hearts defence were chasing shadows as a knockdown from Deuchar found Samuel who was allowed a yard to get off a shot at goal that fizzed past the far post.

A bad second half got enough worse for Hearts as they were reduced to ten men with fifteen minutes remaining. Jose Goncalves went in with his feet high to contest a bouncing ball with Liam Craig and, while there is little doubt that Goncalves caught the Saints' midfielder, the ball appeared to be there to be won and Tynecastle was stunned when referee Stephen O'Reilly produced a red card.

An absolutely dismal day was completed on 86 minutes when David Obua failed to clear when in possession in his own penalty area. The ball reached Jody Morris who hung up a ball for Kenny Deuchar to knock back across the face of goal and former Hibs striker Jonatan Johansson was there to slide the ball home and secure all three points for the visitors.

Hearts: Balogh; J Thomson, Bouzid, Goncalves, Wallace; Black (C Thomson 73), Stewart, Palazuelos, Obua (Kingston 88); Glen (Witteveen 66), Nade. Subs not used: Kello, Jonsson, Novikovas, Mulrooney. Booked: Black, Nade Sent Off: Goncalves

St Johnstone: Smith; Mackay, Grainger, Rutkiewicz, McCaffrey; Morris, Millar (Moon 45), Davidson (Johansson 85), Deuchar; Samuel, Morais (Craig 64). Subs not used: Main, Irvine, Durnan, May. Booked: Moon

Referee: Stevie O'Reilly

Top man: Lee Wallace

Hearts World