Hearts 3 - 2 St Mirren

Hearts clinched a 3-2 win over St. Mirren after a dramatic injury time winner from Rudi Skacel secured all three points for the Jambos at Tynecastle.

Though the Jambos found themselves behind twice, Ryan Stevenson and a Rudi Skacel double got the win for the men in maroon, with the Czech's winner coming in the second minute of injury time.

The gaffer was forced into changing the side that lost in midweek to Dundee United when Lee Wallace failed a late fitness test. Wallace, along with Ismael Bouzid and Stevenson missed out, and they were replaced by Ruben Palazuelos, David Obua and Skacel.

The away side were first into action after only a minute of play, Saints striker Michael Higdon connected with a cross from the right but his header was fantastically stopped at point-blank range by Marian Kello. Minutes later St. Mirren again went close, Higdon's deflected shot edged towards the goal line but Craig Thomson was hand to clear the ball away.

And on the quarter hour mark St. Mirren's persistence paid off. Palazuelos conceded a free kick deep inside the Hearts half, the resultant ball in saw Higdon rise above the home defence and float a header over the stranded Kello, past the outstretched Thomson and over the line for a goal.

Hearts had their first shot at the St. Mirren goal on 23 minutes. David Templeton was cynically brought down from behind 20 yards out from goal. With the free kick lined up Skacel was teed up by Thomson, though his powerful shot flew past Saints keeper Paul Gallacher's right hand post by a couple of yards.

Though it was the Paisley side who almost doubled their lead twice in quick succession. After 30 minutes Steven Thomson got down the right and put in a cross that was met first time by Paul McGowan, whose right foot shot rattled off the corner of the bar and post before being cleared.

Seconds later a Kenny McLean cross from the opposite side of the park again found McGowan, but his half volley was blocked by Kello at his near post.

Hearts had their best chance of the half seconds before the whistle blew for half time. Palazuelos put in an excellent cross from the left but Obua was unable to connect with the ball at the back post.

At the restart JJ reshuffled the pack, bringing on Andrew Driver for Adrian Mrowiec and Obua was replaced by Scott Robinson who made his first Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League appearance of the season.

The Jambos immediately went on the offensive, and there had only been a couple of minutes played when some good link up play between Thomson and Stephen Elliott presented the ball to Templeton at the edge of the box, but his thunderbolt shot cleared Gallacher's bar.

Ten minutes into the second half and Hearts again threatened the away goal, another great cross from Palazuelos went just over the head of Elliott, and though Skacel made contact the Saints 'keeper was not troubled.

A minute later and JJ's men got the break they had been pushing so hard for. Skacel collected the ball inside the St. Mirren half and carried it forward a few yards before unleashing a superb 25 yard drive that flew past Gallacher and in to the bottom right corner of the net.

It was then game on as the Jambos went looking for the winner. Elliott was inches away from making contact in the six yard box with a Templeton shot that would have surely tested Gallacher more than it actually did.

With 68 minutes gone St. Mirren once again took the lead, this time against the run of play. Higdon showed great strength to turn the Hearts defence at the edge of the box and his shot was beautifully placed into the top left corner of the home goal.

Skacel then almost doubled his goal tally with a spectacular overhead kick inside the St. Mirren box from Andrew Webster's knock down header. The Czech's acrobatic effort was, however, tipped over the bar by Gallacher.

Hearts finally got the equaliser nine minutes from time when the ball broke to Stevenson just outside the six yard box, he then fired home a venomous shot past the Saints defence, much to the delight of the Tynecastle crowd.

And in a truly dramatic finish to the game, Hearts grabbed the winning goal in the 92nd minute through Skacel, who stroked the ball home after a scramble in the St. Mirren penalty box.

All three points to Hearts, who take a step closer to securing third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and the European dream.

Hearts: Kello, C. Thomson, Zaliukas, Webster, Palazuelos; Templeton(Stevenson 63), Black, Mrowiec(Driver 46), Skacel, Obua (Robinson 46), Elliott. Subs not used: MacDonald, J.Thomson, Bouzid, Glen.

St Mirren: Gallacher, Mair, S.Thomson, Higdon, Goodwin, McGregor, Travner, McAusland, McGowan, Mooy(Wardlaw 71), McLean(Potter 90). Subs not used: Samson, Van Zanten, Dargo, Cregg, Lamont.

Referee: Stephen Finnie

Top man: Rudi Skacel

Hearts World