26th January 2019. Hearts v St Johnstone 2-0
Third game of the week for Hearts at Tynecastle. Hopefully an improvement on the shambles against Dundee on Wednesday night. St Johnstone have now moved above Hearts in the SPL but a win will move Hearts ahead of them again. An unusual programme cover today which is a tribute to the fans on the annual Foundation day. The Foundation of Hearts is the vehicle for fans contributing, initially to save the club from administration, but now has contributing towards the cost of the new stand and also towards an agreed move to fan ownership in the next few year. Photograph below shows the Foundation ‘flag day’ display in the Whearfield Stand.
My friend Archie is a St Johnstone fan and posted on social media in the morning that he was getting the train through to Edinburgh today and then walking to Tynecastle from Haymarket. When I responded that he could use his free bus pass and save walking he responded that that would mean "travelling with the great unwashed'. I suppose the typical Saints fans dress of tartan trews, Barbour jacket and flat cap would like slightly out of place on a Lothian bus. Left the house just after 14.00 and arrived at Tynecastle at 14.20. After getting a sausage roll and a coffee headed for my seat in the main stand.
Craig Levein made five changes to Wednesdays starting line-up bringing in Marcus Godhino, John Souttar, Oliver Bozanic, Steven Naismith and Jake Mulraney. Demetri Mitchell, Conor Shaughnessy, David Vanecek and Callumn Morrison dropped to the bench with Aidan Keena omitted from the squad. St Johnstone had ex-Hearts players Liam Gordon and Ross Callachan in the starting eleven with another former Jambo, Danny Swanson on the bench. Swanson is not very popular at Tynecastle as he is a self-confessed Hibs fan and had previously played for the Easter Road side.
Hearts started the game well and after about ten minutes a cross from Mulraney hit a St Johnstone defender and spun up in the air. Godinho met the ball with a header from inside the six yard box but Zander Clark in the St Johnstone goal for a touch to push it over the bar. What the right wingback was doing in the six yard box I have no idea. Just after the half hour mark Arnaud Djoum hit a lovely pass into the path of Mulraney on the left wing. He cut inside but his shot was deflected onto the post by Clark.
Minutes into the second half Hearts hit the post again when a St Johnstone defender failed to deal with a header forward from Christophe Berra as he was pressed by Naismith. Sean Clare collected the ball inside the penalty box and while his shot beat Clark it hit the far post and bounced out. Hearts took the lead after fifty-two minutes when Souttar chipped the nall forward towards Godinho as he raced into the box. He controlled the ball well and shot through the advancing goalkeeper for his first goal for Hearts. Hearts continued to make chances and although Clare showed his a marked improvement in his form over the past few games he still needs to work on his finishing as he was twice denied by Clark saves. Clark made another good save towards the end of the game when he tipped an Olly Lee free-kick from twenty yards round the post. In injury time Hearts clinched the points with lovely goal. Naismith, on the touchline just inside the St Johnstone half, found Mitchell moving forward. The full back passed to Lee on the ‘D’ on the penalty box. Lee flicked the ball to his right into the path of the onrushing Morrison. The substitute ran into the penalty box and shot home from around ten yards. Again a first goal for Hearts first team. St Johnstone were pretty poor going forward and Colin Doyle did not have a save to make. Saints substitute Swanson raised a great cheer when he was booked in injury time for a cynical trip on Naismith. A good win for Hearts after Wednesday’s disappointment with Djoum outstanding in midfield as my man of the match.
I walked home in a good mood which was not even dampened by Natalie watching The Waltons when I got home. If you think the original series was bad this is even worse as it is set in the 1960's when the Walton children have now grown up !
Teams
My friend Archie is a St Johnstone fan and posted on social media in the morning that he was getting the train through to Edinburgh today and then walking to Tynecastle from Haymarket. When I responded that he could use his free bus pass and save walking he responded that that would mean "travelling with the great unwashed'. I suppose the typical Saints fans dress of tartan trews, Barbour jacket and flat cap would like slightly out of place on a Lothian bus. Left the house just after 14.00 and arrived at Tynecastle at 14.20. After getting a sausage roll and a coffee headed for my seat in the main stand.
Craig Levein made five changes to Wednesdays starting line-up bringing in Marcus Godhino, John Souttar, Oliver Bozanic, Steven Naismith and Jake Mulraney. Demetri Mitchell, Conor Shaughnessy, David Vanecek and Callumn Morrison dropped to the bench with Aidan Keena omitted from the squad. St Johnstone had ex-Hearts players Liam Gordon and Ross Callachan in the starting eleven with another former Jambo, Danny Swanson on the bench. Swanson is not very popular at Tynecastle as he is a self-confessed Hibs fan and had previously played for the Easter Road side.
Hearts started the game well and after about ten minutes a cross from Mulraney hit a St Johnstone defender and spun up in the air. Godinho met the ball with a header from inside the six yard box but Zander Clark in the St Johnstone goal for a touch to push it over the bar. What the right wingback was doing in the six yard box I have no idea. Just after the half hour mark Arnaud Djoum hit a lovely pass into the path of Mulraney on the left wing. He cut inside but his shot was deflected onto the post by Clark.
Minutes into the second half Hearts hit the post again when a St Johnstone defender failed to deal with a header forward from Christophe Berra as he was pressed by Naismith. Sean Clare collected the ball inside the penalty box and while his shot beat Clark it hit the far post and bounced out. Hearts took the lead after fifty-two minutes when Souttar chipped the nall forward towards Godinho as he raced into the box. He controlled the ball well and shot through the advancing goalkeeper for his first goal for Hearts. Hearts continued to make chances and although Clare showed his a marked improvement in his form over the past few games he still needs to work on his finishing as he was twice denied by Clark saves. Clark made another good save towards the end of the game when he tipped an Olly Lee free-kick from twenty yards round the post. In injury time Hearts clinched the points with lovely goal. Naismith, on the touchline just inside the St Johnstone half, found Mitchell moving forward. The full back passed to Lee on the ‘D’ on the penalty box. Lee flicked the ball to his right into the path of the onrushing Morrison. The substitute ran into the penalty box and shot home from around ten yards. Again a first goal for Hearts first team. St Johnstone were pretty poor going forward and Colin Doyle did not have a save to make. Saints substitute Swanson raised a great cheer when he was booked in injury time for a cynical trip on Naismith. A good win for Hearts after Wednesday’s disappointment with Djoum outstanding in midfield as my man of the match.
I walked home in a good mood which was not even dampened by Natalie watching The Waltons when I got home. If you think the original series was bad this is even worse as it is set in the 1960's when the Walton children have now grown up !
Teams
Hearts: Doyle, Smith, Souttar, Berra, Bozanic, Lee, Clare, Djoum, Naismith, Mulraney, Godinho.
Subs: Mitchell, Morrison, Vanecek
St Johnstone: Clark, Tanser, Shaughnessy, Davidson, Kerr, Foster, Gordon, Craig, Callachan, Kennedy.
Subs: Swanson, O’Halloran, Hendry
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