Hearts cruised to a 5-0 victory over St Mirren at Tynecastle Park on Saturday afternoon.
First half goals from Laurent Mendy and Calvin Miller set the Jambos on their way, before another Miller goal – his second from the penalty spot – and Claudio Braga’s fine dance into the box and finish, before Josh McPake’s late fifth gave the Wouter Vrancken’s men a deserved three points.
The Head Coach made four changes from the side that was last in action – a draw at Kilmarnock three weeks ago. Eduardo Ageu and Malachi Fagan-Walcott made returns from injury and were joined in the starting line-up by Harry Milne and Jordi Altena, with Christian Borchgrevink, Stuart Findlay and Tomas Magnusson moving to the bench while Stephen Kingsley missed out altogether.
The Jambos wasted no time in setting out their stall, with recent Scotland debutant Josh McPake driving deep into the St Mirren half before fizzing a ball into the box that flew over Jacob Chapman’s head and swerved narrowly away from the goal.
Moments later Milne popped up inside the box to get on the end of Laurent Mendy’s knockdown from a corner, but he couldn’t steer his own header on target.
A third chance inside five minutes presented itself when Calvin Miller took down a high ball in the box before turning and shooting, only to drag his left-foot effort narrowly wide of the post.
Hearts were utterly dominant by the quarter hour mark and continued to bombard the St Mirren goal. McPake was next up, twisting his way into the box before pulling his short wide of Chapman’s right-hand post.
McPake then played a sublime pass forward to send the rampaging Milne into the box, he pulled the trigger but Chapman did well to tip his shot over the bar.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute and it was no more than the boys in maroon deserved. Miller hooked a free kick into the Saints box that Mendy could only nod down into the path of visiting defenders. However, he recovered to take advantage of indecision, and wrapped his foot around the ball beautifully to send a half-volley into the top corner.
Bang on the half hour mark, the Jambos were given the chance to double their lead from the spot. Claudio Braga won possession then slipped McPake into the box only for the flying winger to be bundled over from behind by Alex Gogic. Miller stepped up and made no mistake, slotting low into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0.
There was time for one more opportunity with three minutes of the half remaining. Braga sent a looping cross into the box that James Wilson rose highest to meet, but he could only header clean over the bar.
Three minutes into the restart, Hearts were awarded another penalty. Substitute Liam Donnelly swiped the legs away from Wilson inside the box, leaving Miller to once again step up and once again slot home from the spot to give the Jam Tarts a three-goal cushion.
Wilson was involved again minutes later, feeding Braga on the edge of the box. The Portuguese shimmied his way into the area before hitting a wayward left-foot effort that flew wide of the target.
He made up for it on 54 minutes, however, with the Jambos’ fourth of the afternoon. Miller played a defence-splitting pass to send the forward into the box and he feigned to take the ball around the keeper before prodding into the net, despite the best attempts of the visiting defenders on the line.
St Mirren really should’ve pulled one immediately after but Killian Phillips slid to meet a ball across the six-yard box and could only turn his shot over the bar.
The Gorgie boys then passed up a glorious opportunity of their own. Goalkeeper Chapman passed straight to substitute Sabah Kerjota, who fed the unmarked Wilson inside the box, but he lashed his effort inches wide of the post.
Beau Reus, a spectator all game, made an outstanding save to deny the visitors a goal in the 78th minute. Calvin Ramsay latched on to a clever pass to get into the Hearts box but his shot was stopped the big Dutchman’s outstretched left arm.
With ten minutes remaining it was 5-0. McPake, so impressive all game, outmuscled his man inside the box to come away with the ball and go one-on-one with the keeper, he simply swept the ball past him and into the net.
A comfortable afternoon for the Jam Tarts who now focus on European football and Thursday’s Conference League opener against Danish side FC Nordsjælland.
Hearts: Reus, McCart, Miller (Kerjota, 56’), Ageu (McEntee, 56’), Braga (Guendouz, 74’), McPake (Findlay, 81’), Milne, Wilson (Williams, 74’), Altena, Fagan-Walcott, Mendy.
Subs: Fulton, Borchgrevink, Magnusson, Mato.
St Mirren: Chapman, John, Carr (Donnelly, 45’), Gogic, Kabia (Sule, 66’), Mochrie (Thomas, 45’), Phillips, Taylor (Young, 45’), Ramsay (Fraser, 82’), Nsio, Fieldson.
Subs: Tamosevicius, Jackson, Ramos, McEvoy.
