Hearts 2 St Johnstone 0

They’ve been partying hard in Gorgie ever since.

And those summer-long celebrations showed no signs of stopping as the Jambos, and new boss John McGlynn, got the new SPL season off to a winning start.

Goals from John Sutton and David Templeton condemned St Johnstone — who had Gregory Tade controversially sent off — to a tenth game without a win stretching back to last season.

It was the perfect start for McGlynn, after taking over from Paulo Sergio.

It was redemption for striker Sutton, who was sent to Australia by Sergio and missed Hearts’ Cup win. And it was notice that the Jambos — with Templeton in this kind of form — will be serious contenders this season.

They will have designs, at the very least, on second place.

Saints’ cause wasn’t helped by Tade’s red card. The striker is alleged to have raised his hands following a collision with Hearts captain Andy Webster.

But even with 11 men, St Johnstone would have struggled to contain a Hearts side intent on laying down a marker.

This match signified the dawn of a new era at both clubs.

For Hearts this was life after Ian Black, Craig Beattie, Rudi Skacel and Scottish Cup-winning boss Sergio.

For Saints it was the first examination of Steve Lomas’s new-look side following their early Europa League exit.

Three of the Ulsterman’s four summer signings started, with Rowan Vine having to settle for a seat on the bench.

McGlynn handed starts to youngsters Kevin McHattie and Callum Paterson, with Sutton re-instated in attack.

The injured Jamie Hamill and banned Danny Grainger paraded the Cup before kick-off, much to the delight of the home support.

The game was less than two minutes old when Ryan McGowan picked up Hearts’ first yellow card of the new campaign, the midfielder rightly cautioned after catching Callum Davidson late.

The opening exchanges were scrappy, with both teams trying to get a foothold.

But it was Hearts who threatened first.

Andy Driver’s tenth-minute corner picked out McGowan at the back post and only a superb last-ditch clearance by Davidson stopped the Aussie’s looping header from ending up in the back of the net.

Saints’ response was a good one with Liam Craig’s cross-cum-shot evading everyone before clattering off Jamie MacDonald’s left post.

Then, incredibly, Davidson again cleared off his own line.

Templeton burst into the St Johnstone box and teed up Driver with the goal gaping. But somehow former Scotland full-back Davidson got across to cover and bail Saints out again.

On 20 minutes, Craig should have done better than blaze over after Tade had flicked on Chris Millar’s cross.

Five minutes later the Saints crossbar rescued them.

McGowan won a free-kick on the edge of the box which Driver cleverly rolled to Paterson and the youngster’s first-time effort rattled the frame of Alan Mannus’ goal.

Hearts were well on top on chances created and just before the half-hour mark they finally made the breakthrough.

And it was all thanks to the brilliance of Templeton.

The winger jinked his way into the St Johnstone box and was poised to pull the trigger just as David Mackay’s clumsy tackle sent him sprawling.

Ref Stevie O’Reilly pointed straight to the spot and Sutton made no mistake from 12 yards out.

Then, on 37 minutes, O’Reilly found himself embroiled in another flashpoint.

Murray Davidson’s free-kick was harmlessly drifting out when Tade got himself needlessly involved with Hearts duo Webster and Paterson.

After taking his lead from standside linesman Stuart MacAulay — who was clearly illustrating that a punch had been thrown — the whistler showed the Saints striker a straight red card.

Lomas was livid on the touchline and he, too, had to be spoken to by the referee.

St Johnstone, to their credit, emerged on the front foot at the start of the second.

Craig tested MacDonald in the Hearts goal just before the hour mark and minutes later, as McGlynn called for more urgency from his players, only Sutton’s last-gasp clearance stopped Nigel Hasselbaink poaching an equaliser.

Both teams made changes, with Hearts throwing on Mehdi Taouil and Saints Jamie Adams.

The home side had not got going at all in the second half, but Templeton fired just wide on 68 minutes.

As play moved from end to end, MacDonald denied Hasselbaink before Mannus kept his side in it with a great save from Templeton’s free-kick.

But the outstanding player on show would not be denied and on 82 minutes Templeton sealed all three points for Hearts with a brilliantly-conjured second.

His curling effort into the corner, after stepping inside Mackay, put the seal on a fine Hearts performance.

Up next is the small matter of a trip to Easter Road and a clash with Hibs.

You can bet the Hearts fans will have their party hats on.