St Johnstone 1 - 0 Hearts, match report

Published Date: 30 January 2010
By BARRY ANDERSON
AT McDIARMID PARK
Goals:
St Johnstone - Deuchar 51

THE task ahead for Jim Jefferies was made abundantly clear as Hearts suffered defeat under new management in Perth, Kenny Deuchar's 50th minute goal sufficient to see off the Edinburgh club just 24 hours after they dispensed with the services of Csaba Laszlo.

Jefferies watched an underwhelming display from his side and must now source some inspiration ahead of Tuesday evening's Co-operative Cup semi-final with St Mirren at Fir Park. Uppermost in his mind will be how to address the same attacking conundrum which plagued Laszlo thoughout his 18-month tenure. However, he also has defensive concerns after Marius Zaliukas was forced off by injury at half-time.

Deuchar converted Danny Grainger's cross six minutes after the interval and St Johnstone successfully held the lead until full-time whilst monopolising large portions of second-half possession. At full-time, Hearts captain Michael Stewart had to be restrained as he berated fourth official Anthony Law having been cautioned for dissent moments earlier. He believed he had been stamped on by a St Johnstone player and the sense of injustice caused him to be ushered up the tunnel to avoid further confrontation.

With Werner Burger having followed Csaba Laszlo out of Tynecastle, Jefferies' trusted lieutenants Billy Brown and Gary Locke paced the Hearts players through their pre-match warm-up. They were effectively volunteering for the day as contracts have yet to be signed for their respective roles of assistant manager and first-team coach. However, that is considered a mere formality, emphasised by the fact they trotted around the McDiarmid park pitch in Hearts attire already emblazoned with their initials.

When the match began, it was St Johnstone's Chris Millar who threatened first with a drive which Marian Kello held at the second attempt. Filipe Morais then arced a dangerous ball wide of the Slovakian's far post amid some early evidence that Jefferies would not be accorded any leniency from the hosts. On 13 minutes, a neat passing exchange involving Steven Milne and Millar created an opening for striker Deuchar, but his first-time attempt was both high and wide.

Hearts required to apply some cohesion to their attacking play but at least attempted to move the ball around with zest. They seemed vulnerable down the right side, though, where Dawid Kucharski featured at right-back with David Obua at right midfield. Both toiled to cope with the forays of St Johnstone's Morais or left-back Grainger during the first period. Kucharski in particular constantly meandered inside towards his natural centre-back position, leaving Morais in vast space. On the opposite flank, Jason Thomson was deployed at left-back with Jose Goncalves not included in the matchday squad despite being fit and available.

St Johnstone continued pressing and the first half concluded with Hearts yet to register a shot at goal. Jefferies reorganised during the interval, introducing Andy Driver for the injured Zaliukas. The alteration saw Rocky Visconte shunted from left midfield to left-back, with Thomson swapping flanks and Kucharski partnering Ismael Bouzid in central defence. This lasted only minutes before Visconte was replaced by Marius Cinikas, by which time Hearts were behind.

Gary Glen had passed up a fine opportunity moments after the restart, volleying Eggert Jonsson's cross into the travelling fans behind Graeme Smith. St Johnstone responded with three attempts at Kello's goal inside two minutes and scored from the third. Grainger was again allowed space to motor down the left and from his cross Deuchar expertly flicked the ball beyond Kello for his first SPL goal in almost two years.

The hosts appealed for a penalty on 73 minutes when Kucharski tackled Milne but failed to play the ball. Referee Euan Norris allowed play to run and St Johnstone continued applying pressure to the Hearts rearguard. For all their dominance, they lacked the conviction to score what would have been a decisive second goal.

Hearts came close to equalising six minutes from full-time when Driver's dribbling skills saw him elude Gary Irvine but Grainger beat Smith to the winger's deep delivery. Moments later St Johnstone substitute Cillian Sheridan struck a post from Milne's driven right-sided cross.

In the dying seconds of stoppage-time, Christian Nade powered into the penalty area to square the ball for Gordon Smith but Irvine was in place to block the teenager's close-range attempt. That was the final flurry from Hearts, who will certainly have given their new manager food for thought at the start of his reign.

St Johnstone: (4-4-2): Smith; Irvine, Mackay, Gartland, Grainger; Millar, Moon, Davidson, Morais; Milne, Deuchar. Subs: Main, Anderson, Sheerin 90 (for Moon), Craig 78 (for Morais), MacDonald, Sheridan 68 (for Deuchar), Reynolds.

Hearts (4-4-2): Kello; Kucharski, Bouzid, Zaliukas, J Thomson; Obua, Jonsson, Stewart, Visconte; Nade, Glen. Subs: Balogh, Driver 46 (for Zaliukas), Witteveen, R Wallace, Mulrooney, Cinikas 52 (for Visconte), Smith 68 (for Glen).

Referee: Euan Norris.

Attendance: 4752.

Taken from the Scotsman