Buddies ship sinks at Tynecastle

May 6 2013 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

Shaky Saints wilted at Tynecastle as Gary Locke’s side breezed past them with a three-goal salvo to gain revenge for their Scottish Communities League Cup Final defeat – and deepen St Mirren’s relegation worries.

Danny Lennon’s side could not repeat their Hampden heroics by getting the result needed to secure their SPL safety .

Thankfully, 24 hours later, Aberdeen ended any notion of John Brown’s Dundee side avoiding the drop by grabbing a point at Dens Park.

That means Dundee – just like Brown’s Titanic – are sinking down to the First Division.

Saints could have wrapped up safety by themselves but found Hearts the superior side on the day. Jamie Walker fired the Tynecastle side into the lead after 14 minutes, before Kevin McHattie’s 43rd minute free-kick made it 2-0.

To compound Saints’ misery, Kenny McLean was red-carded seven minutes after the interval for a professional foul on McHattie.

And from, the resultant penalty kick, Jamie Hamill made it 3-0 to complete the scoring.

Boss Danny Lennon made two changes to the side, with Lee Mair and McLean coming in for Graham Carey and John McGinn.

Early on, former Saints striker John Sutton guided a left-foot effort just wide of the right-hand post as the visitors slept at the back.

Then McLean picked up a pass from Esmael Goncalves in an advanced position but Hearts defender McHattie timed his tackle to perfection and denied the midfielder a shot on goal.

Hearts’ Darren Barr was penalised for a foul on Steven Thompson and the visitors won a free-kick 30 yards out.

Midfielder Gary Teale floated it into the dangerzone, Thompson headed it down but Mair blasted over from eight yards.

But it was Hearts who took a deserved lead after 14 minutes when Walker dispossessed Goncalves in midfield. He strode forward and then smashed a right-foot shot in off the underside of the bar from 22 yards.

The home side looked by far the better and more inventive team in the first 20 minutes and Saints had a big task in trying to get a foothold in the game.

Hearts continued to press and striker Sutton headed wide a Walker cross from the left as the Jambos continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession.

Thompson was then spoken to for a tackle on Mehdi Taouil, before Carrick drove an effort wide of Samson’s left-hand post.

Towards the half hour mark, Dylan McGowan played in Sutton on the edge of the six-yard box but the Englishman sliced his shot over target.

Van Zanten picked up a booking after 35 minutes for a foul on Carrick on the far side.

From the free-kick, McHattie floated it into the box, Sutton got his head to it but Samson was well-placed to make the save.

Sam Parkin replaced van Zanten before the break as boss Lennon rang the changes.

Two minutes before the interval, St Mirren’s day went from bad to worse as McHattie fired home a free-kick from nearly 30 yards after keeper Samson looked slow to react.

Saints started the second 45 in positive fashion as Conor Newton fired a shot off the body of goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald before sub Parkin saw a header from a corner on the right blocked on the line by Holt.

But there was controversy after 52 minutes when McHattie picked up a Ryan Stevenson pass and he looked to have been nudged to the ground as McLean cut in to prevent a shooting opportunity.

Amazingly, ref Colvin produced a red card for the Saints midfielder – and awarded a Hearts penalty kick.

Up stepped Hamill to fire a right-foot shot into the left-hand corner.

Jon Robertson replaced Goncalves in St Mirren’s second change of the afternoon, before McGowan saw a shot blocked by the body of MacDonald.

Teale then picked up the scraps but his lofted effort was blocked on the line by Holt.

Try as they might, St Mirren could find no way past the Hearts defence – and the chance of securing their own SPL safety was gone.