Flash of Boyce magic breaks Buddies’ hearts
Hearts moved three points clear at the top of the Premiership table with this hard-fought but just about deserved victory at the SMISA Stadium.
A fine first-half goal from Andy Halliday – who would have been suspended for this encounter had the SFA’S compliance officer awarded him a retrospective red card for his late lunge at Celtic’s Callum Mcgregor last weekend – and a second-half clincher from Liam Boyce were enough to leave them with maximum points from their opening two fixtures.
The opening goal apart, though, there were few moments of inspiration from either side.
There was plenty of industry but not enough artistry for the fans lucky enough to have gained admission but Hearts found a way to unlock their opponents’ defence while Craig Gordon was largely untroubled, which frustrated St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin. “I felt
we were too cagey and showed Hearts too much respect,” he said.
“In the second half we were better.
“The second goal frustrates me most because Boyce is always wanting to shift it on to his stronger right foot and we were too deep, didn’t put enough pressure on the ball.”
Hearts were first to threaten when Boyce glanced a header from Josh Ginnelly’s cross inches wide of Jak Alnwick’s right-hand post.
That spurred Saints into life and they immediately came just as close with a venomous snap-shot from Curtis Main.
It was Hearts, however, who broke the deadlock with a well-made and well-taken goal.
Boyce took possession in the far corner of the penalty area, his low cross was met 10 yards out by Halliday and the midfielder sent the ball arcing over Alnwick with the outside of his right boot.
Northern Ireland striker Boyce was giving the hosts all the trouble they could handle and his cushioned header set up Josh Ginnelly for a shot which cleared the crossbar.
The Buddies couldn’t get their passing game together but they remained a threat from set pieces, which rendered Peter Haring’s yellow card for a needless foul from behind on Jamie Mcgrath all the more foolish.
Eamonn Brophy saw his emphatic header from Mcgrath’s cross come back off the bar in the 33rd minute but referee Gavin Duncan awarded the Jambos a free-kick for Main’s perfectly legitimate aerial challenge on John Souttar.
Gary Mackay-steven should have given Hearts a two-goal cushion just before the interval after latching on to Souttar’s through ball but the former Celtic winger blazed wildly over from 18 yards.
Eamonn Brophy finally called Gordon into action with a 20-yarder and Tait sent a volley into the side netting as Saints piled forward in search of an equaliser but their efforts were in vain and a goalkeeping error saw the game drift out of their reach.
Mackay-steven rolled the ball to Boyce on the edge of the 18-yard box, he feinted to shoot with his left foot then dropped his shoulder and beat Alnwick with a low right-foot drive which the ’keeper should have saved.
Joe Shaughnessy gave his side a late lifeline with a towering header from Scott Tanser’s cross but any hopes of salvaging a point disappeared in a moment of madness from substitute Kristian Dennis, on the field for less than 10 minutes, was shown a straight red for a forearm smash on Peter Haring.