Hearts 1 St Johnstone 1

By Ewing Grahame, Tynecastle

The romance of the Cup will be prolonged for these clubs now that they will be forced to meet again at McDiarmid Park on Valentine’s Day for a place in the quarter-finals.

Hearts moved in front with a fine solo goal from David Templeton, who cut inside Lee Croft and Murray Davidson before sending a low drive from 18 yards behind Peter Enckelman, who ought to have done better.

Substitute Cillian Sheridan, introduced at the interval, almost made an immediate impact when he picked out Francisco Sandaza, who headed against the crossbar from six yards when a goal seemed inevitable.

Hearts ought to have had a penalty for a blatant handball by David Mackay but the full-back was punished later, cautioned first for dissent and then, in the 73rd minute, dismissed, presumably for raising his boot too high as Templeton challenged.

“It was one-way traffic until the ordering-off,” said Saints manager Steve Lomas. “When someone is hooking the ball over his shoulder and can’t see his opponent coming in how can that be deemed dangerous play?”
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Mehdi Taouil came on 14 minutes from time and his first contribution was to lose control of the ball, allowing Sandaza to release Sheridan and he produced a composed finish to beat Jamie MacDonald.

Hearts manager Paulo Sergio revealed afterwards that he had not been allowed to select first-choice goalkeeper Marian Kello, who refused to join Austria Vienna on transfer deadline day.

Match details

Hearts (3-5-2): MacDonald; Hamill, Webster, Zaliukas; Robinson, Mrowiec, Skacel (Taouil 76), Black, McGowan; Elliott, Templeton (Driver 89). Subs: Ridgers (g), Barr, Glen. Booked: Black, Hamill.
St Johnstone (4-1-4-1): Enckelman; MacKay, McCracken, Anderson, C Davidson; Morris; Croft (Keatings 84), M Davidson (Millar 78), Robertson (Sheridan h-t), Craig; Sandaza. Subs: Mannus (g), Oyenuga. Booked: Robertson, M Davidson, MacKay, Croft. Sent off: Mackay.
Referee: C Thomson.

Taken from telegraph.co.uk