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Hardie snatches point for Saints |
Hearts picked up their first point of the season but it should have been three as a last second Martin Hardie equaliser earned St Johnstone a share of the spoils at McDiarmid Park today.
Hearts appeared to have the game in the bag when David Obua slammed the ball home with only five minutes left on the clock. It looked like the goal would round off an impressive second half performance in which Csaba Laszlo's side equalised through a Jose Goncalves header to erase a half time deficit they thoroughly deserved.
The domestic suspension to Marius Zaliukas caused yet another reshuffle in the Hearts rearguard and the back four visibly struggled throughout the first half. In particular Jose Goncalves and Ismael Bouzid were continually at odds with how to deal with the ball in the air and through this route St Johnstone forced two excellent chances in the first ten minutes.
First Kenny Deuchar latched onto a return pass from Colin Samuel after the big striker had won a header on the edge of the Hearts penalty area but the former Gretna hitman failed to connect properly with his shot at goal. Then less than a minute later Murray Davidson wasted a glorious opportunity when he could only direct his header wide of the post after finding himself in acres of space to meet another Deuchar knockdown.
It was only a matter of time before a goal came and it arrived on 22 minutes courtesy of a bullet header from Murray Davidson. The midfielder rose highest to power the ball past Balogh to give the home side a deserved lead.
A shoddy defence wasn't the only problem plaguing the Hearts performance; in attack the team seemed to lack any sort of cohesion and individual errors killed the play every time Hearts went forward. The only highlight came in the 37th minute when Christian Nade found himself with space to turn 20 yards from goal. The big Frenchman slid the ball through for Gary Glen but with the angle tightening he weakly dragged his shot wide of the far post.
With a minute remaining in the half St Johnstone should have doubled their advantage. Again Hearts seemed unable to cope with a high ball pumped into the box as Filipe Morais muscled his way in front of his marker to meet a looping cross inside six yards. Luckily the winger isn't known for his heading ability as he could only knock the ball back across the face of goal and out for a goal kick.
Presumably still being read the riot act by manager Csaba Laszlo, Hearts took their time in emerging from the tunnel for the second half. When the game started Hearts played with a renewed determination and desire about their play.
On 51 minutes Hearts went close to drawing level when Nade got up high to flick a Craig Thomson cross goalwards but the striker watched his effort drop wide of the post.
Five minutes later Nade was involved in the game's first controversial moment after he intercepted a poor backpass and tried to round Alan Main. The Frenchman hit the deck under a challenge from the goalkeeper but Mike Tumilty adjudged it to be a dive and an aggrieved Nade was shown the yellow card.
Hearts were growing in stature and on 58 minutes they found themselves back on level terms. Craig Thomson whipped in another dangerous set piece into the box and this time Jose Goncalves was there to divert the ball past Main at his left hand post.
With the game opening up at both ends St Johnstone had two chances in the space of five minutes to regain the lead. First Colin Samuel was denied by a quick thinking Janos Balogh after the striker had been slipped through on the left side of the penalty area before Martin Hardie had a header tipped wide by the Hearts goalkeeper.
With five minutes remaining St Johnstone had the ball in the back of the net but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Janos Balogh. Then within 30 seconds Hearts had the lead.
Lee Wallace brilliantly danced his way past two players before cutting the ball back for Novikovas who's first time shot was parried away by Main only as far as David Obua. Calling off the attentions of David Witteveen the Ugandan smashed the ball low into the back of the net before sprinting to join the pandemonium in the away end.
Hearts should have had the win in the bag having fended off a late St Johnstone onslaught that saw a brilliant latch ditch block from Lee Wallace to deny Morais and Balogh pulling off another save to stop Hardie.
But, with the full time whistle imminent, a foolish David Witteveen challenge on the edge of the Hearts penalty area handed St Johnstone a lifeline that they fully accepted. Martin Hardie stepped up to expertly curl the ball over the wall and into Balogh's top right corner.
St Johnstone: Main; Mackay (Irvine 54), Morris, McCaffrey, Grainger; Gartland, Millar, Davidson (Hardie 65), Morais; Deuchar, Samuel (Milne 81). Subs Not Used: McLean, Craig, Reynolds, May. Booked: Mackay, Gartland, Deuchar
Hearts: Balogh; C Thomson, Bouzid, Goncalves, Wallace; Suso (Novikovas 59), Black, Stewart, Obua; Glen (Witteveen 58), Nade (Palazuelos 90). Subs Not Used: Kello, Kucharski, J Thomson, Smith. Booked: C Thomson, Goncalves, Nade, Obua
Referee: Mike Tumilty
Top man: Craig Thomson
