Levein in firing line as hapless Hearts lose out
THE verdict from the hardy bunch of travelling Hearts supporters was as blunt as their team’s insipid attack.
‘Craig Levein, we want you to go,’ they chanted at their under-fire manager as St Johnstone celebrated a second successive victory.
With Hearts having just one league victory all season — a 2-1 derby triumph at Easter Road — it remains to be seen how much longer the under-fire former Scotland boss retains the backing of club owner Ann Budge.
Levein has overseen a truly dizzying decline. Twelve months ago, Hearts marked October 31 with a 0-0 draw with Hibs that kept the Gorgie outfit four points clear at the top of the Premiership.
Fast forward a year and the table makes frightening reading for Hearts this Halloween. Rooted to the foot of the table on eight points, joint bottom with St Mirren.
The wound was self-inflicted. An own goal by captain Christophe Berra plunging the knife in midway through the second half.
Anyone who has studied the history of this fixture will know Hearts don’t tend to enjoy visiting McDiarmid Park. They have not won here in Perth since way back in November 2010.
But it was more the manner of the loss last night that was galling to visiting fans. Just as in their goalless draw at Livingston last Saturday, their team lacked quality and ideas in the final third. The Tynecastle men could have played until midnight and still not scored.
On this evidence, there seems zero cause for optimism ahead of Sunday’s Betfred Cup showdown with a free-scoring Rangers side at Hampden.
It was no surprise to see Saints boss Tommy Wright keep the same starting line-up that recorded St Johnstone’s first win of the league season against Hamilton.
Levein decided not to give Steven Naismith his first game time since August as he held the veteran striker back for the weekend.
But attacker Jamie Walker did make the bench after recovering from the broken leg that has kept him out of action since August.
Jamie Brandon, Andy Irving and Ryotaro Meshino all dropped to the bench from the team that started at the Tony Macaroni Arena. In came Aidy White, Callumn Morrison and Loic Damour.
After a quiet opening 15 minutes
St Johnstone carved out the first chance of the game. David Wotherspoon sent over a cross from the left and Murray Davidson’s shot was on target but Berra got in an important block.
Ali McCann then gave Hearts a scare when he robbed Oliver Bozanic 30 yards out and bore down on goal. But his first touch was heavy and that allowed the alert Joel Pereira to rush out and smother the danger.
St Johnstone then had a penalty claim turned down when Drey Wright’s cross appeared to strike White on the arm.
For a Hearts side who continue to fire blanks, the best they could muster in the attacking third was a tame effort by Morrison after a good run down the right by the Hearts winger.
Berra also saw a volley fly narrowly wide after meeting a corner from White.
In the second half, it took a vital block from Michael Smith to stop a dangerous cross from Anthony Ralston finding Stevie May lurking in the box.
But the breakthrough was just around the corner. First, some fine interplay play from Wright and May presented Davidson with a shot at goal.
Perreira palmed his effort behind, and when Wotherspoon’s corner missed Jason Kerr, the unwitting Berra diverted the ball into his own net.
Remarkably, it was the first time this season that St Johnstone had opened the scoring in a league game. They would not let it slip.
Levein sent on Walker and Glenn Whelan for Damour and Morrison but his side still failed to carve out any real chances. And his heart will have been in his mouth when his keeper Perreira looked to have picked the ball up outside the box.
Despite furious protests by Saints players and fans, referee David Munro declared no offence had been committed.
In the end it took a header off the line from Aaron Hickey to stop Wallace Duffy making it 2-0 for St Johnstone.
After watching their side record their first Premiership clean sheet this season, St Johnstone fans danced to Movin’ on Up by Primal Scream to celebrate going from bottom to eighth.
By contrast, the final whistle saw the remaining Hearts fans rush to vent fresh fury towards Levein and his hapless side.