The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
A magnificent seven for Saints as they battle back for a point
Home side come from behind on two occasions to continue unbeaten run ST JOHNSTONE 2 HEARTS 2
St Johnstone twice came from behind against Hearts at McDiarmid to make it a magnificent seven games unbeaten.
The Saints players simply refused to accept defeat and on balance of play deserved to take all three points in a contest that marked manager Tommy Wright’ s 250 th game in charge of the club.
Hearts stormed into an early lead through Arnaud Djoum before Blair Alston, making his return after being out for two months with injury, equalised.
St Johnstone took the game by the scruff of the neck but it was the Jambos who edged ahead once more through Oliver Bozanic just before half-time.
Saints then secured a share of the points in the second 45 with Matty Kennedy firing home from the penalty spot.
Wright, named Premiership Manager of the Month for November on Tuesday, made just one change from the side that drew with Kilmarnock two Saturdays ago with Alston coming in for Drey Wright, who suffered a season-ending cruciate injury against Steve Clarke’s side.
Hearts boss Craig Le vein named former McDiarmid favourite Steven MacLean on the bench but there was a place in his starting line-up for ex-Dundee front man Craig Wighton.
St Johnstone had not conceded in 546 minutes before kick-off but that remarkable shut-out record was finally shattered as Hearts took an early lead.
There were just six minutes on the clock when Michael Smith swung a cross in from the wide right towards the Saints back post, with Djoum sending a looping header over home keeper Zander Clark and into the back of the net.
St Johnstone looked to respond quickly and came agonisingly close to doing so when Scott Tanser hit a blistering angled shot from inside the Hearts penalty area that flashed just inches wide of Zdenek Zlamal’s left-hand post.
However, Saints did draw level in the 20th minute. David Wotherspoon did well to beat Smith on the left before sending over a tempting cross that the unmarked Alston calmly volleyed past Zlamal from six yards out.
Al st on then looked to double hist ally for the night when he was played through by Matty Kennedy, but Zlamal saved his lobbed effort.
Saints were in the ascendant and there was little response from Hearts as the halfhour mark approached, a speculative long-range effort from Peter Haring that flew well wide of Clark’s right-hand post the closest they came to creating a chance worthy of the name.
Wotherspoon then provided another superb cross from the left with the ball looking certain to fly all the way through for Tony Watt lurking at the back post but Demetri Mitchell managed to intercept and head out for a corner.
However, it was the Jam Tarts who took the lead once more on 41 minutes when Olly Lee delivered a free-kick from the left with the unmarked Bozanic rising to power a header past the exposed Clark from six yards.
Again, Saints looked for an immediate response and almost received it when the ball was cleared out of the Hearts penalty area but only to Liam Craig, who hit a fierce drive just inches wide – the team heading down the tunnel with Hearts still in the lead.
The early exchanges in the second 45 were scrappy to say the least, with too many misplaced passes and needless fouls disrupting play.
The players were becoming increasingly frustrated with referee Andrew Dallas dishing out three yellow cards in the first 16 minutes of the second half – two to Hearts (Haring and Sean Clare) and one to the hosts (Wotherspoon).
However, St Johnstone were handed a lifeline in the 69th minute when Haring conceded a soft penalty, pulling down sub Liam Gordon just inside the Hearts box.
Kennedy stepped up and calmly sent Zlamal the wrong way to draw Saints level once more.
The same home player then had a chance to make it three but Zlamal made a vital block at his near post.
St Johnstone looked the likelier to secure a winner as the clock ticked down but they could not make their pressure tell, with Hearts hanging on to take a point back to Tynecastle.
However, at the final whistle, Levein stormed on to the pitch to remonstrate with Dallas, no doubt to complain about the penalty award.
Attendance – 3,040.
St Johnstone – Clark, Tanser (Gordon, 45), Alston (Kane, 66), Shaughnessy, Davidson, Wotherspoon, Kerr, Foster, Craig, Watt (McMillan, 83), Kennedy. Subs not used – Hurst, Kane, Nydam, Scougall, Callachan.
Hearts – Zlamal, Smith, Haring, Berra, Bozanic, Lee (Morrison, 81), Clare (MacLean, 90), Djoum, Mitchell (Godinho, 77), Wighton, Dikamona. Subs not used – Doyle, Hughes, Cochrane, Mulraney.
Referee – Andrew Dallas.