Nailbiting, gut-wrenching, spine-tingling, astonishing and amazing .. . it was worth the long wait
Saints keep fans hanging on to the very end before clinching league cup
St Mirren .................... 3 Hearts ........................ 2
Never-say-die St Mirren clinched the Scottish Communities League Cup amidst unforgettable and emotional scenes at Hampden yesterday.
Goals from Esmael Goncalves, Steven Thompson and Conor Newton helped the super Saints win the trophy for the first time in the club’s 136-year history.
Ryan Stevenson fired the Edinburgh side into the lead after just 10 minutes but Goncalves levelled it all up eight minutes before the break.
And striker Thompson was on hand seconds after the restart to bullet home Paul Dummett’s cross for 2-1.
Saints had one hand on the trophy after 66 minutes as Newton lashed home a Goncalves return pass to increase the lead.
Stevenson made it 3-2 after 85 minutes as Hearts launched a last-gasp effort to take the match into extra time.
It was remarkable, nail-biting, edgeof-the-seat stuff ... but the Paisley men are made of stern stuff and refused to surrender their hard-fought lead.
It was a match which they undoubtedly deserved to win ... but few could have predicted such an outcome as Hearts dominated the early stages.
Boss Lennon made just the one change to his starting line-up with the welcome return to action of skipper Jim Goodwin, the Saints number six replacing Graham Carey.
The capital side looked threatening early on and drew first blood in the 10th minute when Stevenson picked up possession at the edge of the box after good work on the wing from Michael Ngoo.
Stevenson had plenty of work to do but the Hearts ace dribbled his way into the danger zone, picked his moment and managed to slot the ball past Samson from 14 yards.
Hearts striker John Sutton saw a flicked effort around eight yards out come off a Saints player and away to safety as Buddies slept at the back, before Darren Barr fired an effort from distance well wide after Newton gave away possession in midfield.
Saints still looked a little unsure of themselves defensively and Sutton knocked a header off the right-hand post as he connected with Jamie Walker’s cross from the left.
Buddies defender Marc McAusland was penalised for a foul on Walker and Hearts won a free-kick on the left-hand side but, thankfully, keeper Samson plucked it out the air.
After 26 minutes, Goncalves fired in a powerful right foot shot from 25 yards but Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald made the save look easy.
Towards the half-hour mark, Samson was on hand to block a close range effort from Ngoo after the big centre forward
connected with Kevin McHattie’s freekick in the box.
Then Mehdi Taouil dribbled his way into the box and sent over a low shot that flew across the face of goal with no takers on the end of it.
McGinn saw a corner on the righthand side touched away by MacDonald, before Thompson glanced a header harmlessly wide from 12 yards.
But Saints drew level after 37 minutes and it was Portuguese hitman Goncalves who scored it.
Teale picked up a great reverse pass on the right hand side from Thompson and the midfielder closed in on goal before he unselfishly played it across to ‘Isma’ who fired home from seven yards.
Before the break, Teale was tantalisingly close to connecting with a Samson long punt upfield but MacDonald was out quickly and did enough to deny him.
At the other end, striker Ngoo swung a hopeful right foot shot from distance well over target.
Saints dramatically pulled ahead just seconds into the second half.
After good build-up play, McGinn picked out Dummett on the left hand side, the Geordie fired over a cross and Thompson was there to bullet a shot beyond MacDonald.
Walker then sliced a right-foot shot well wide from 20 yards as the Tynecastle outfit sought a rapid response.
And Ngoo somehow contrived to send a shot inches wide of the righthand post when it looked easier to score.
Moments later, Taouil sent a deflected shot into the arms of Samson, before McGowan for Saints saw an effort from distance trundle wide.
Saints were in dreamland after 66 minutes as on- loan midfielder Conor Newton played a one- two with Goncalves and the Geordie ace picked his spot with a low drive from just inside the penalty box.
Boss Lennon rang the changes after 77 minutes, big Sam Parkin replacing goalscorer Thompson, who was afforded a standing ovation by the Saints faithful.
Midfielder McGinn received the same generous ovation from the black and white army as he left the field with nine minutes remaining to be replaced by Carey.
Stevenson saw an effort graze the crossbar after slackness at the back allowed the Hearts man a whiff of goal.
And, after 85 minutes, it was 3-2 as the same player was allowed too much room on the left to reach an Ngoo pass, then fire a low angled ball beyond Samson from 12 yards.
Stevenson was denied twice in quick succession by Samson at the near post as the Jambos threatened a late equaliser.
Into time added on, Lee Mair replaced Goncalves as the anxious Saints supporters waited for that final whistle.
And when it did, a new chapter in St Mirren FC’s history was written as the League Cup headed to Paisley.