Hearts 2 St Mirren 2

Rob Fairburn, Sunday Mail

IF SAINTS go on to repeat their Scottish Cup heroics of 25 years ago no-one can accuse them of doing it the easy way.

Their previous rounds against Hamilton and Ross County both went to replays.

Now another clash is required to decide if they can conquer Hearts to take their place in the semi-final draw.

The replay in Paisley a week on Wednesday will be mouthwatering if it's as good as this classic at Tynecastle.

Saints needed an own goal from Marius Zaliukas six minutes from time to earn a second chance - but they deserved it on their first-half showing alone.

It was a great performance considering the Buds are down to the bare bones. They could only name four subs due to injuries.

While Danny Lennon's men were on top in the first-half, the Jambos dominated after the break and could have secured their Hampden place long before that late leveller.

They were raging that a perfectly good goal from Craig Beattie was wrongly ruled out for offside and there was controversy in the build-up to both Saints goals.

St Mirren opened the scoring in 27 minutes after Adrian Mrowiec's stray pass landed at the feet of Nigel Hasselbaink who ran directly at Andy Webster.

Ref Stevie O'Reilly ruled the Dutch striker was fouled by the former Scotland man and Graeme Carey stepped up to curl a glorious free-kick strike through the fragile defensive wall and into the far corner of the net.

It was no more than St Mirren deserved after Steven Thomson, Gary Teale and Paul McGowan all squandered opportunities.

Hearts' only chance early on was a brilliant effort from Andy Driver, who turned his marker then tried to dink the ball over Craig Samson. Luckily for Saints, the keeper spread himself and blocked the effort. Hearts simply could not get the ball off the visitors who passed it around at will for long periods with Paulo Sergio eventually forced to drop Stephen Elliott back in to midfield to help out.

But the towering Jambos side always looked dangerous at set pieces - and they equalised from a corner in 37 minutes.

Danny Grainger's inswinger found Beattie unmarked and he powered home a header for his first goal since joining the club.

The 28-year-old looks like he'll be a real asset to the Jambos once he gets match fit. The Gorgie gaffer made another switch in 38 minutes, replacing the ineffective Mrowiec with talisman Rudi Skacel, who has been a thorn in the side of Saints in the past.

But it was Beattie who continued to torment Saints and he should have doubled his tally in first-half injury-time.

Ian Black fired over a low cross that Beattie bundled home at the far post. It was flagged for offside - although TV replays showed the goal should have stood.

The controversy seemed to inspire the home side and they took the lead three minutes after the restart when Beattie sent over a cross that Skacel glanced in to the corner of the net.

That seemed to put the Jambos in charge but they couldn't find a killer third goal. Their best chance came on the hour mark when Beattie blasted over from 15 yards.

Saints rallied in the closing stages and got a dramatic equaliser six minutes from time.

Hearts claimed Black was clipped by Hasselbaink as he tried to get back in position during a swift Saints breakaway.

But the ref waved play on and Teale let fly with Jamie MacDonald parrying his shot.

Hasselbaink then pulled the ball back from the byeline and the ball hit the heel of Zaliukas before trickling over the line.

And Saints could have won it in the final minute with MacDonald doing well to save McGowan's volley from the edge of the box.

However, St Mirren will be content with another replay. The only downer was this fabulous cup tie was witnessed by 8859 fans - Hearts' lowest crowd of the season.

Taken from the Daily Record