More Hearts ref woe as soft penalty robs them of first win in seven
● Levein makes for Dallas at final whistle ● Saints concede but keep unbeaten run
Blair Alston responded almost instantly for Saints but Olly Bozanic restored the Gorgie outfit’s lead before the interval. It was left to Dallas to take centre stage thereafter.
Talk of being up against 13 men because of Madden’s leniency and his assistant’s failure to flag Alfredo Morelos offside at Rangers’ winning goal at the weekend deflected attention from a fourth successive loss for the Gorgie side and a sixth game without a victory but they will be angered by the way a win was denied them here.
The Jambos had suffered a massive setback with the news that centre-half Jimmy Dunne has been ruled out for six weeks with an ankle injury, the blow softened by the sight of captain Christophe Berra returning to action at the weekend. Marcus Godinho, Harry Cochrane and former St Johnstone striker Steven Maclean were the men to drop out from Sunday, with Clevid Dikamona, Olly Lee and Craig Wighton being drafted in.
In the home ranks, Hearts’ rancour was replaced by satisfaction. Manager Tommy Wright lifted the manager of the month accolade after a sixgame unbeaten run in which his side did not lose a goal for 546 minutes. Wright made
just one
0 Arnaud Djoum rises highest to head home the opening goal for Hearts.
enforced change, with Blair Alston in for the injured Drey Wright, but it didn’t take long for that clean-sheet record to disappear. There were just five minutes on the clock when Hearts rediscovered their scoring touch.
Michael Smith, lurking on the right flank after hurling in a long throw, floated over a superb cross and Djoum climbed above Richard Foster at the back post to loop his header over Zander Clark.
For a team who could have forgotten how it feels to concede a goal, St Johnstone recovered remarkably well and, within 14 minutes, had restored parity. David Wotherspoon bamboozled Smith
with a cute drag-over on the left edge of the area and Alston streamedintothepenaltyarea to volley in from 12 yards.
The goal restored belief to the home side and they dominated possession for a spell. Zdenek Zlamal beat away another Alston effort after the midfielder’s run from deep and the Hearts keeper then held Tony Watt’s glancing header.
However, it was Hearts who found a second as the previously dependable home defence was posted missing. Lee flung over a free-kick from the left touchline and Bozanic emerged unmarked to nod in from six yards out.
The play became increasingly fractious after the interval
and, as ref Dallas struggled to retain control, controversy sparked again.
Dallas, who mistakenly awarded Celtic a penalty in Sunday’s Betfred Cup final, pointed to the spot as substitute Liam Gordon went flying trying to connect with a high ball under pressure from Peter Haring. There appeared little, if anything, in the incident but Kennedy was not bothered as he sent Zlamal the wrong way.