Peter MacDonald stuns Hearts after Obua howler

MacDonald was first to get a touch on a hopeful ball into the box, but Hearts stopper Ismael Bouzid had a chance to clear. He failed to do so, and the substitute nipped in to poke the ball into the corner of the net and set up a home fifth-round tie against Falkirk or Partick Thistle.

It was St Johnstone's first win in the competition over Hearts, and one they merited over the course of the match. They had never looked overawed by their opponents, and indeed became more confident the longer the contest went on. In common with several other fourth-round ties, the match - postponed from Sunday because of burst pipes within the ground - was sparsely attended. The Wheatfield Stand was completely closed, and the away end was also empty but for a few hundred St Johnstone supporters tucked into one corner. Hearts had wanted to reduce ticket prices for the match, but both teams have to agree for such a cut to go ahead, and St Johnstone refused.

Such circumstances often produce a subdued atmosphere, but both teams got into their stride immediately. St Johnstone had the better of the early exchanges. Full-back Danny Grainger was a danger down the left during that spell, while, for Hearts, Arvydas Novikovas looked menacing every time he had possession. The Lithuanian winger sent in orthodox crosses on the first couple of occasions, but then with a little more than 15 minutes gone decided to do all the work himself - and came close to opening the scoring after cutting in from the left and shooting wide from a narrow angle.

Ryan Stevenson had been off target a few minutes earlier with a shot from a more central position, and as the half went on Hearts began to impose themselves. Although in Novikovas they had the most inventive player on the pitch, they missed the creativity of Rudi Skacel, rested because of a calf injury, and David Templeton, who had been dropped to the bench after going off the boil in the last couple of games. Still, besides the evident talent of those two, Hearts' current unbeaten league run has been characterised as much by hard work and patience.

Both on New Year's Day against Hibs and three days earlier at St Mirren they had to remain composed for long spells before eventually claiming victory. As half-time approached, that composure looked like again being a crucial quality. Grainger was the first man to be booked following a foul on Ian Black, and a little later was left for dead by Stephen Elliott. The striker raced clear of the defender and fired in a cross from the right, but it was just too fast for Kevin Kyle to get there in time. St Johnstone were by no means out of the game, and two minutes before the break Sam Parkin was not too far off target with a shot from the edge of the box. A better chance followed for the visitors a moment later when, after a defensive mix-up on Hearts' left, the ball broke for Collin Samuel. The striker sent a header looping back towards the far corner of the goal, but Jamie MacDonald saved well. Saints began the second half as brightly as they had ended the first, and should have scored some seven minutes in. Jody Morris drifted a long free-kick from close to the halfway line up to Dave Mackay at the back post, but the defender sent his diving header wide. At the other end, Grainger had to end a goalmouth scramble by heading over the bar. Ten minutes into the half, Kyle limped off and was replaced by David Obua, then a couple of minutes later Templeton came on for Black to give Hearts more width. Obua was quickly involved in the action, but not in the way he would have wanted.

A good interchange between Novikovas and Palazuelos sent the latter free in space down the left, and he slipped a pass to Elliott a little further out. The Irishman's low cross evaded Saints goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, but from just a few yards out O bua scooped it over the bar.

Calum Elliot replaced Novikovas with quarter of an hour to play, but as the match entered its closing stages it was the visitors who looked likelier to break the deadlock. They duly did so through MacDonald, not long after he had come on for Sam Parkin, with just four minutes to play. Stephen Elliott came closest to equalising for Hearts with a curling shot in stoppage time, but Enckelman ensured his team progressed into the last 16

Hearts: MacDonald, Jonsson, Zaliukas, Bouzid, Palazuelos, Black (Templeton 59), Mrowiec, Stevenson, Novikovas (Elliot 75), Kyle (Obua 57), Elliott. Subs Not Used: Kello, Craig Thomson.

St Johnstone: Enckelman, MacKay, Duberry, Anderson, Grainger, Davidson, Morris, Millar, Craig (Maybury 89), Samuel (May 66), Parkin (MacDonald 78). Subs Not Used: Smith, Caddis. Booked: Grainger, Morris.

Taken from the Scotsman