There’s no way through for sorry Saints
Milinkovic steals win but Hearts’ keeper the star
ANOTHER clean sheet in the bank gives the impression that normal service has been resumed at Hearts. This, however, was anything but a defensive masterclass.
That they registered a ninth shut-out in their past 11 games owed much to goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin. He proved unbeatable, but the theme of what went on in front of him was more catastrophe than catenaccio.
A sense of impending doom seemed to stalk Hearts all afternoon. Even as St Johnstone played the final half hour with ten men, you sensed that an equaliser was possible at any given moment.
If it had, it would not have been undeserved. This was just about as much of a smash-and-grab, squeaky-bum victory as you are likely to see.
Admitting that it had been far from plain sailing, Tynecastle manager Craig Levein said: ‘We really didn’t play at any great level at all in the first half.
‘Jon was tremendous for us, as he has been since the moment he walked through the door.
‘I won’t ever get bored of keeping clean sheets. I like to see my players defending properly, being committed and putting their bodies on the line — there is no shame in that.’
There was a good tempo to the match in the opening stages, aided by a greasy Tynecastle surface and an injection of some fresh blood into both teams.
Hearts handed a debut to Joaquim Adao and he was joined by fellow January recruits Demetri Mitchell, Danny Amankwaa and Steven Naismith in Levein’s new-look side.
St Johnstone also had a debutant in the shape of Matty Willock, the midfielder who has joined on loan from Manchester United. And it was Tommy Wright’s men who enjoyed by far and away the better of the first half.
They would have gone ahead after just seven minutes had it not been for an excellent diving save from McLaughlin, throwing himself low to his left to keep out a dipping David Wotherspoon free-kick from 25 yards.
Indeed, the Hearts stopper was the best player on the pitch by a million miles. It was only by virtue of his continued excellence that Saints did not have a lead to show for their efforts at the interval.
The 30-year-old, who has hinted that he could leave Tynecastle at the end of the season, was again required to repel a driven shot from Scott Tanser on 20 minutes after a slip from full-back Connor Randall had put the home side in all kinds of trouble.
‘I haven’t given up on my hopes of keeping Jon at the club,’ added Levein. ‘We have made an offer to him, but I am aware that he has far more lucrative offers from down south which we just can’t compete with financially.’
Tanser was involved in another brilliant chance for the visitors just two minutes later. From his delivery into the penalty area, Chris Kane played a clever knockdown header into the path of the onrushing Wotherspoon, but his shot whistled narrowly over the crossbar.
Hearts just could not get going at all. They were ponderous; the ball largely went sideways or backwards and, anytime it did go forwards, it rarely found a maroon jersey.
They were lucky to survive a penalty claim against a Christophe Berra handball — and even luckier when a stunning volley on the turn from Kane came crashing back off the crossbar. Struck from the edge of the box, McLaughlin had no chance on this occasion as the ball flew and dipped over his head.
Just 39 seconds into the second half, the breakthrough arrived. And completely against the run of play, given what had gone before.
Amankwaa sent over a good cross from the left which found David Milinkovic at the back post. He held off the attention of Tanser to work a yard of space, turn and smash a powerful finish low beyond Alan Mannus.
Yet, still St Johnstone came. Even after Wotherspoon had been shown a second yellow card, Wright’s men simply would not lie down.
McLaughlin was required to make yet another flying save to deny Blair Alston. But it was the performance of referee Andrew Dallas which left Wright fuming at full-time.
‘Everyone could see the ball hit Berra’s hand,’ said the Saints boss. ‘I don’t mind the ref not giving it if he felt it wasn’t intentional, but he runs away signalling that it hit his shoulder when it clearly hit the player’s hand.
‘David’s red card was ridiculous, too. He was the one who was fouled. But David’s not a Scotland player like Christophe Berra is.
‘Listen, I’m not going to make it the Andrew Dallas show because he does that himself on the pitch. I’m fed up phoning John Fleming (SFA head of referees) about him. Let’s leave it at that.’
Wright’s men will return to Gorgie for a Scottish Cup tie next weekend. On this evidence, they will fancy their chances.
HEARTS (4-4-1-1): McLaughlin; Randall (Smith 46), Berra, Souttar, Mitchell; Amankwaa (McDonald 71), Djoum, Adao (Buaben 66), Milinkovic; Naismith; Lafferty. Subs (not used): Hamilton, Hughes, Irving, Henderson. Booked: Adao, Smith, Souttar, Berra, Mitchell. ST JOHNSTONE (3-5-2): Mannus; Shaughnessy, Anderson (Alston 67), Kerr; Foster, Davidson, Willock (Craig 73), Wotherspoon, Tanser; Johnstone (MacLean 77), Kane. Subs (not used): Hurst, Scougall, McClean, Watson. Booked: Wotherspoon, Kerr. Sent Off: Wotherspoon. Referee: Andrew Dallas. Attendance: 16,197.