St Mirren 0 Hearts 2

Mar 22 2012 By Euan McLean

SAINTS scourge Rudi Skacel can’t stop scoring against the Buddies while they can’t stop blowing their big chances.

That’s why Hearts are looking forward to a Scottish Cup semi-final date with Celtic while sorry St Mirren are again looking back in anger at what might have been.

Skacel buried their hopes with his 10th goal in six games against Saints yet just as they had done in the first game at Tynecastle, Saints flew out of the blocks and should have made dominance count when they had it.

Sure, they’ll curse their luck when Nigel Hasselbaink blasted the ball into the net in 15 minutes only to see the goal not stand because ref Stevie O’Reilly was quick to blow his whistle rather than play advantage after Marius Zaliukas’ handball in the box.

But they still had the initiative in their hands as Graeme Carey stepped up to the penalty spot only to see keeper Jamie MacDonald deny him with a superb save at his left post.

It proved the turning point as Hearts, relieved to be off the hook, forged ahead through Jamie Hamill’s
spectacular long-range strike then Skacel killed them off five minutes from the end.
Hearts, Craig Beattie

The Paisley outfit had to do without key midfield playmaker Paul McGowan, suspended for his booking in the 2-2 draw at Tynecastle.

Hearts almost grabbed a first-minute lead courtesy of Craig Beattie, the player they snatched from under the nose of Saints boss Danny Lennon.

Sliding a neat little through ball into the path of Skacel sent the Czech charging in on goal only to flash his shot across the face of goal.

That early scare jolted Saints and by the 10th minute they came close when Carey’s raking long cross from the left took a huge bounce towards goal. Hasselbaink’s vain attempt to get a touch had done enough to put off MacDonald but the keeper
readjusted to turn it over the bar.

Then in 14 minutes came a huge talking point when Zaliukas’ blatant handball in the box sparked an outcry but Hasselbaink kept his cool to pounce and nod home the loose ball.

However, O’Reilly refused to let the goal stand as he had already blown to award the penalty.

Zaliukas earned a booking for his sins as Carey stepped up to the spot under enormous pressure.

His strike was powerful and well placed but MacDonald threw himself to his left to make a terrific save.

Saints must have known what was coming next and, sure enough, Hearts soon made them pay.

Warning shots were fired across the Buddies’ bows when Andrew Driver forced Craig Samson to make a good save then Hamill’s surprise 30-yard effort crashed off a post.

But there was no woodwork to save St Mirren the next time Hamill took a pot shot from distance to grab the lead in 31 minutes.

A slack pass from Steven Thomson gifted possession to Danny Grainger, whose ball into the box forced an uncertain clearance only as far as Hamill on the edge of the area.

His first-time thunderbolt screamed low through a ruck of bodies, leaving Samson no chance.

O’Reilly struggled to keep a lid on meaty tackles and minor bust-ups.

Yellow cards for Darren Barr and Steven Thompson for their part in the growing aggro were a little harsh when words of warning from a stronger ref would have sufficed.

Hearts were on the front foot and rained in long shots from Beattie and Ian Black that both came close just before the break.

The second half wasn’t even a minute old before O’Reilly’s cards were out again, this time deservedly when Marc McAusland slid through the back of Skacel after the Jambo had already been flagged for offside.

On the hour Hasselbaink’s lovely crossfield ball with the outside of a boot sent David van Zanten surging down the right to let rip a tight-angled effort across goal just wide.

Saints just couldn’t find any joy in that crucial final third, with Hearts happy to let them come before hitting on the break.

It was no surprise then to see Lennon throw Jeroen Tesselaar on for Hugh Murray, allowing Carey to push forward out of the left-back role.

It was a sound attacking strategy but it was Hearts who came closest to scoring again.

Skacel turned on to his left foot to earn himself space on the edge of
the box to crack a dangerous shot. Keeper Samson again came to the rescue with another good stop but it was at the other end that Saints needed a saviour.

Gary Teale tried to be that man, smashing a troublesome cross cum shot from the right that MacDonald had to beat away at his near post.

That close call was the former Scotland internationalist’s last throw of the dice as Lennon gave sub Aaron Mooy a chance to make a difference for the last 10 minutes.

Jim Goodwin was booked in 84 minutes for a foul on Beattie and within 60 seconds the Buddies’ fading hopes were stamped out completely by their old nemesis.

Driver’s dash for the line and cutback found its way through McAusland to Skacel and the Czech was clinical with one touch then a sweeping finish into the net from six yards.

It seems nothing changes at either end of the pitch.

Taken from the Daily Record