Clark stands tall as Hearts’ momentum stalls in Perth
ST JOHNSTONE 1 Gordon 11 HEARTS 1 Ginnelly 40
HEARTS failed to capitalise on another opportunity to underline their credibility as potential title challengers. Hard on the heels of a 1-1 weekend draw with Dundee, Tayside opposition again frustrated manager Robbie Neilson’s men, who slipped behind Rangers and Celtic at the top of the table despite extending their unbeaten run to 11 games.
The Tynecastle club’s 11-year wait to celebrate a league victory in Perth goes on, despite English attacker Josh Ginnelly controversially levelling an early Liam Gordon opener.
Hearts recovered their composure after that early setback to dominate the second half but a combination of profligate finishing and excellent goalkeeping from Scotland international contender Zander Clark kept them at bay.
With last term’s double cup triumphs fast becoming a distant memory, Perth manager Callum Davidson has charged his players with picking up the pace after an opening quarter which yielded just two victories.
Since a Hearts team under Jim Jefferies last left McDiarmid Park with maximum points, a clutch of managers had come and gone from Gorgie; with Paulo Sergio, John McGlynn, Gary Locke, Ian Cathro, Craig Levein, Daniel Stendel and Neilson, in a previous role, unable to fathom out how to dispatch Saints.
Neilson, who was again banned from the dugout, was frustrated not to leave Perth with all three points after Hearts exerted a second-half stranglehold.
‘It was similar to the Dundee game on Saturday. We played well, created chances and just that final moment wasn’t there,’ he said.
‘But the key thing is we have dominated against the double cup winners, a team that is very good at home.
‘We had 70-per-cent possession and 20 shots on goal. The disappointment is we never took the three points we merited.
‘It’s nice to be unbeaten but we could have more points.’
In common with supporters across Scotland, fans stood in silence sheltering from the teeming rain before kick-off to remember Walter Smith.
Saints started strongly and from their third corner, recently installed skipper Gordon, a one-time Hearts youngster, rolled home a point-bank 11thminute finish after Cammy MacPherson’s delivery was glanced goalwards by Stevie May.
The striker’s header took a couple of deflections but Gordon, who has been injured for much of the campaign, was perfectly placed at the back post to get the final touch.
Hearts winger Ginnelly came close in the 23rd minute when he cut in from the right flank but his 20-yard strike soared over the target without troubling keeper Clark.
Saints twice threatened to double their advantage in the space of 60 seconds.
First, unattended Jamie McCart headed inches wide from another MacPherson corner and then keeper Craig Gordon had to atone for a misdirected clearance by beating out Chris Kane’s powerful snapshot.
Hearts drew level five minutes before the interval, with a goal which infuriated the Perth camp.
Midfielder Beni Baningime appeared to handle the ball in a centre-circle melee but referee Steven McLean allowed play to go on and Hearts made the most of the hotly-disputed decision.
Ginnelly (pictured with Cammy Devlin, left) was released to slam a low and precise finish into the corner of the net, with Saints manager Davidson lurking by the tunnel at half-time to question the official’s controversial call.
Just before half-time Clark denied Armand Gnanduillet with a full-length save to turn aside his netbound header and the Perth keeper frustrated the former Ivory Coast Under-21 international again minutes after the restart.
John Souttar’s ambitious 30-yard strike ripped inches wide on the hour mark and Gnanduillet headed tamely at Clark from six yards as Hearts, urged on by their travelling fans, began to turn the screw.
Alert keeper Clark was then forced to beat out danger man Ginnelly’s close-range hitch kick, Souttar came within inches of replicating his spectacular weekend strike against Dundee and Gnanduillet pulled a shot past the far post as the Perth defence stood firm.
Saints boss Davidson bemoaned some key refereeing calls, saying: ‘A lot of decisions aren’t going our way. Hopefully that will turn and we will get a bit of good fortune. Hearts have got off to a fantastic start so it was a good point.’ ST JOHNSTONE (3-5-2): Clark 8; Dendoncker 5 (Ambrose 46), Gordon 7, McCart 7; Brown 5 (Devine 46), MacPherson 6, Davidson 6, Booth 6; Crawford 6; Kane 6, May 6 (Middleton 81). Subs not used: Parish, Craig, Bryson, Vertainen. Booked: Clark, May, McCart, Gordon. HEARTS (3-4-2-1): Gordon 6; Souttar 7,
Halkett 6, Kingsley 6; Smith 6, Devlin 7, Halliday 6, Baningime 7; McKay 7 (Mackay-Steven 89), Ginnelly 8 (Woodburn 75); Gnanduillet 7. Subs not
used: Stewart, Haring, Walker, Moore, Cochrane. Booked: Souttar.
Man of the match: Zander Clark. Referee: Steven McLean. Attendance: 6,308.