Ten-men Saints steal a point from Tynecastle

THE talk all week was of Stephen Elliott, however his namesake Calum score d the goal that accorded Hearts an opening-day point against an extremely resilient ten-man St Johnstone.

It was the first of two strikes inside a minute at the end of the first period, leaving the hosts to rue a slight lack of concentration which allowed Sam Parkin to equalise straight from kick-off.

In the second half, after Hearts' new recruits Kevin Kyle and Stephen Elliott entered the fray as substitutes, St Johnstone's Steven Anderson found himself ordered off for cementing Suso from behind. That might have presented more scoring opportunities for the home attack, however the visiting defence remained firm despite intense late pressure.

It was a frenetic start to the match from Hearts, with David Templeton stroking the ball into the net inside two minutes only to be ruled offside. Calum Elliot then forced Peter Enckelman, St Johnstone's newly recruited goalkeeper, down to his right to collect a drive effort from 18 yards. In between, Marian Kello comfortably took Chris Millar's first-time attempt from Liam Craig's deep swirling cross.

An imposing two-man forward line of Parkin and Marcus Haber, both summer signings at McDiarmid Park, unsettled the Hearts back line during the opening exchanges. However there was defensive concern for the visiting manager Derek McInnes on 22 minutes when full-back Danny Grainger was stretchered off having collided with Calum Elliot.

Fears that the long-delay to remove Grainger from the field could impinge on the tempo of the game quickly subsided. From Wallace's left-sided delivery, Craig Thomson's finish soared over the St Johnstone crossbar. Ruben Palazuelos tried and failed from distance before two goals inside 60 frantic seconds. Calum Elliot expertly glanced Wallace's cross into the far corner of the St Johnstone net, and with that it appeared Hearts had secured an interval advantage. Just as he savoured the goal, Parkin headed an instant reply past Kello from substitute Cleveland Taylor's delivery and set about celebrating a goal on his competitive debut.

If the opening 45 minutes finished evenly, it was the hosts who assumed command of the second period. St Johnstone found themselves camped inside their own half for a 15-minute period and then had to contend with the introductions of Kyle and Stephen Elliott to rapturous applause from the home support. Suso switched to the left flank having played hitherto as a central striker. He had also been booked for diving moments earlier despite appearing to be impeded by Jody Morris.

Anderson's reckless challenge on Suso prompted his dismissal on 74 minutes, only after referee Stevie O'Reilly lost grip of his red card whilst brandishing it in the air. As he scrambled around on the turf, St Johnstone tried to formulate a method of containing Hearts for the remainder of the game.

The ploy worked. Kyle's header from Arvydas Novikovas' looping cross was thumped off the goal line by Michael Duberry, and the tall striker departed soon after to be bandaged up having sustained a nasty gash to his head from an aerial challenge with Kevin Rutkiewicz. He returned to do battle once more, but unfortunately could not source a winning goal.

Hearts (4-4-2): Kello; J Thomson, Barr, Zaliukas, Wallace; C Thomson, Black, Palazuelos, Templeton; Suso, C Elliot. Subs: Balogh, Kucharski, Kyle 65 (for C Elliot), S Elliott 65 (for Templeton), McGowan, Novikovas 79 (for Suso), Mulrooney.

St Johnstone (4-4-2): Enckelman; Mackay, Duberry, Anderson, Grainger; Millar, Morris, Davidson, Craig; Parkin, Haber. Subs: Smith, Rutkiewicz 54 (for Mackay), Taylor 22 (for Grainger), Dobie, Samuel 72 (for Haber), Caddis, May.

Referee: Stevie O'Reilly.

Attendance: 14,562.

Taken from the Scotsman