Simms sends Gorgie men through after thrilling tie

HIS squad stretched like elastic by injury, Robbie Neilson knew Hearts could not allow this one to go the full distance.

The prospect of extra-time unthinkable, the Tynecastle side’s hopes of progression to the semis were in peril when, midway through the second half and with the match finely poised, he played his one available joker from the bench.

Within 26 seconds, Aaron McEneff was sprinting off with a grin on his face, having scored the decisive goal with his second touch.

Then, just for good measure, the Irishman found the pass to assist Ellis Simms for the strike that finally put the game to bed.

This was oh so harsh on St Mirren, who contributed fully to this superb quarter-final, even as they fell two goals behind. The strikes with which Eamonn Brophy and Connor Ronan hauled their team level were simply sublime and would have graced any game.

Ultimately, ravaged by injuries, Hearts had the greater spread of quality in their ranks, with Barrie McKay and Liam Boyce.

Neilson was forced to substitute five players during last weekend’s draw with Dundee United and only one — Nathaniel Atkinson — was fit for inclusion after illness.

With John Souttar, Gary MackaySteven, Cammy Devlin and Alex Cochrane joined on the injured list by Josh Ginnelly, Neilson had to dig deep into his squad.

Yet while he was able to name a strong starting XI, a look at his list of substitutes — a mixture of defenders, teenagers and McEneff — exposed the gravity of the situation. Buoyed by his first win in situ in midweek, Stephen Robinson was able to name a near-unchanged line-up from the side that won at Dundee.

The only alteration was in goal where first-choice Jak Alnwick returned from Covid isolation to strengthen the visitors’ resistance ahead of what was likely to be an early onslaught.

With Hearts already looking safe and secure in third place, the cup has taken on primary importance in Gorgie.

It’s 10 years since the maroon half of Edinburgh celebrated along Princes Street with the old trophy. The intervening years have been bumpy, with two relegations endured through a mixture of financial lunacy, mismanagement and the coronavirus pandemic.

St Mirren have lifted a trophy more recently and, by sheer coincidence, their 2013 League Cup success arrived after a five-goal cup final win over last night’s hosts.

The last time these sides met, Devlin claimed his first goal for the club — and this time it was the turn of his normal midfield sidekick Beni Baningime to get in on the act in near-identical fashion.

Hearts had been working up to the goal, too, with impressive McKay instrumental from a wide-left role and forcing Alnwick into an early save.

The former Rangers winger teed up the opener, drilling the ball across goal for striker Simms, who seemed flummoxed by the fact he had been allowed to drift into the six-yard box unchecked.

The on-loan Everton forward could not squeeze the ball past Alnwick but the rebound fell perfectly for Baningime, who jabbed the ball over the line.

St Mirren were occasionally dangerous.

Brophy, who had banged heads with Craig Halkett in an early collision that left the Hearts defender sporting a bandage, forced Craig Gordon to save — and there were appeals for a penalty as an Alan Power shot struck Stephen Kingsley’s arm.

Hearts’ second was terrific. Simms and Boyce combined before the latter shuffled the ball out to Ben Woodburn on the right.

Woodburn’s final ball has not always been there this season but this time he acted flawlessly, delivering the ball first time into the path of Peter Haring, who became the tie’s second unlikely goalscorer.

St Mirren countered with something even better.

Richard Tait bounded down the right before dropping in a cross for Brophy to execute an improvised volleyed finish that rose majestically into the top corner.

Halkett smacked a shot off the bar and Kingsley drilled one wide as Hearts unsuccessfully tired to restore their two-goal advantage before the interval.

Although Alnwick first reacted brilliantly to stop Woodburn’s deflected shot finding the net, it was the Buddies who started to realise Neilson’s worst fears as they grew stronger.

Gordon was required to save from Jordan Jones and Greg Kiltie, the latter stop conceding the corner from which Robinson’s men equalised.

Boyce’s clearance fell to Roman, who sent a quite stunning finish dipping and swerving past a flat-footed Gordon.

Neilson’s options from the bench were limited but in a bid to inject some badly-needed energy, he withdrew Woodburn for McEneff to instant reward.

Atkinson’s persistence down the right carried him past Jones and although his cross was not perfect it took a nick that carried it into McEneff’s path.

Instinctively, the midfielder wrapped his knee round the ball and diverted it home.

Kingsley tried his best to put in a late contender for goal of the evening with a 20-yard free-kick that Alnwick pushed wide before McEneff’s cross was turned in by Simms at the near post.

HEARTS (4-4-2): Gordon; Atkinson, Halkett, Kingsley, Halliday; McKay (Sibbick 90), Baningime, Haring, Woodburn (McEneff 67); Boyce, Simms.

Subs (not used): Stewart, Moore, Kirk, Ruthie, Tait. Booked: Baningime.

ST MIRREN (4-3-3): Alnwick; Tait, Shaughnessy, Dunne, Tanser (Fraser 53); Power, Gogic (Greive 75), Ronan; Kiltie (Henderson 75), Brophy, Jones.

Subs (not used): Lyness, Smith, McCarthy, Flynn, Main, Erhahon. Booked: None.

Referee: Bobby Madden. Attendance: 13,899.