St Johnstone were in seventh heaven after beating the country’s form side Hearts 1-0 in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup at Tynecastle.
Saints had failed to beat the Edinburgh side in the previous six meetings between the teams in Scotland’s premier cup tournament.
Well, they made history last night thanks to a late strike from super sub Peter MacDonald his first goal of the season.
St Johnstone now progress to the next round and a home tie against either Falkirk or Partick Thistle, who drew 2-2 last night.
A delighted Saints manager Derek McInnes, who continues to be linked with the vacant gaffer’s job at Burnley, said, “I felt we had a goal in us as the game became stretched in the second half.
“When we have someone like Peter MacDonald to come off the bench, he will always get chances and thankfully he took one. He has worked incredibly hard off the pitch recently and it is a fitting reward for him.
“Hearts came into this game on a great run of form but we have been playing well also. We came here to impose ourselves which was why we started with two strikers.
“I am just delighted to get through to the next round. The tie is at home but we will not be treating our first division opponents lightly.”
Last night’s game was originally scheduled for Sunday but had to be called off because of burst pipes in the stadium. That cancellation probably cost Hearts a small fortune with vast expanses of empty seats a grim testament to the lack of appeal of a Tuesday night game in freezing January.Two changesMcInnes made two changes from the side that beat Inverness in the league a fortnight ago, with Murray Davidson replacing Cleveland Taylor and Collin Samuel, who scored the only goal in that game, coming in at the expense of MacDonald.
Saints’ defence was first tested in the 11th minute when Ryan Stevenson latched on to a Kevin Kyle flick and hit a measured shot from the angle of the box which flew just wide of Peter Enckelman’s right-hand post.
Seconds later, Kyle received a severe talking to from referee Iain Brines after the big striker had tangled with Saints defender Steven Anderson. Kyle pleaded his innocence but Brines decided he was the sinner in the tussle and awarded a free-kick to the Perth side.
Just after the 15-minute mark, Arvydas Novikovas set off on a blistering run down the Hearts left with Jody Morris vainly trailing in his slipstream and advanced on goal before letting fly with a rasping shot.
However, it flew wide of the far post, with Kyle and others waiting for the cross that never came.
Time and space was at a premium as the half progressed with both sides dogged in the tackle and even the likes of Morris struggling to exert a telling influence on the game.
On the half-hour mark, Danny Grainger became the first player to be booked after he tugged back Ian Black as he advanced on goal.
Novikovas stepped up to strike a fiercely-hit free-kick, but he could only direct it into the arms of the grateful Enckelman.
Shortly after, Samuel was a whisker away from a Sam Parkin headed flick into the Hearts penalty area but goalie Jamie MacDonald was smartly off his line to snuff out the danger.
There was danger at the other end in the 37th minute when a slack Chris Millar pass allowed Stephen Elliot to get in behind the Saints defence.
He headed for the byeline and sent over a wicked delivery which was just inches above the head of the rampaging Kyle.Half chanceSaints were next to have a half chance when Parkin was first to a loose ball on the edge of the Hearts penalty area. The big English striker produced a neat turn before hitting a sweet volley narrowly wide of MacDonald’s right-hand post.
Then, in stoppage time, Millar played a cross in from the right towards Davidson who deflected it towards the unmarked Samuel eight yards out but the big striker could not produce enough power with his header and MacDonald saved comfortably to ensure the half ended scoreless.
Saints started the second half strongly, looking as if they believed this tie was there for the winning, and they came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 53rd minute when Morris hit a deep free-kick to the right.
The Hearts defence was caught napping as Dave Mackay ghosted in to direct a header back across goal but it flew just wide of the far post.
Morris was next to see yellow after he chopped down Stevenson and from the subsequent free-kick, Hearts mounted a sustained period of pressure on the St Johnstone goal but Enckelman and co held out thanks to some desperate defending.
Saints looked to bounce back and Samuel had a glorious opportunity when he was played in on goal by Millar, but the striker’s touch to take it round MacDonald narrowed the angle and he ended up shooting tamely into the keeper’s arms.
Saints then had an amazing escape in the 62nd minute when Stephen Elliott broke down the Hearts left and skipped past Michael Duberry before hitting the byeline.
He played a slide-rule ball into the path of substitute striker David Obua who inexplicably prodded the ball over the bar from just four yards.
McInnes replaced the tiring Samuel with Stevie May and the teenager almost made a dream start when he was narrowly wide with a shot from 18 yards in the 70th minute.
Nine minutes later, May broke clear and raced through on goal, but just as he looked to pull the trigger, Eggert Jonsson stormed back to make a vital tackle to deny the striker.”Hard one to take”However, there was to be no denying substitute MacDonald in the 85th minute. Hearts had weakly cleared the ball out of their box but only to Davidson who headed it back towards goal.
MacDonald stole in behind the home defence to latch on to the ball as Ismael Bouzid made a hash of trying to clear and kept his cool to calmly prod home past his namesake in the Hearts goal.
In stoppage time, Enckelman pulled off a crucial save from an Elliott shot from inside the box.
Hearts boss Jim Jefferies said, “It is hard to criticise the players. They have played really well recently but they did not do so tonight. We paid the penalty for that. Obua had a great chance and if that had gone in, it might have been a different result.
“It is a hard one to accept.”
Attendance 6221.
Hearts MacDonald, Jonsson, Palazuelos, Black (Templeton, 58), Kyle (Obua, 56), Elliott, Stevenson, Novikovas (Elliot, 75), Bouzid, Zaliukas, Mrowiec. Subs not used Kello, Thomson.
St Johnstone Enckelman, Mackay, Grainger, Morris, Duberry, Millar, Parkin (MacDonald, 77), Craig (Maybury, 90), Anderson, Davidson, Samuel (May, 66). Subs not used Smith, Caddis.
Referee Iain Brines.
Seconds later, Kyle received a severe talking to from referee Iain Brines after the big striker had tangled with Saints defender Steven Anderson. Kyle pleaded his innocence but Brines decided he was the sinner in the tussle and awarded a free-kick to the Perth side.
Just after the 15-minute mark, Arvydas Novikovas set off on a blistering run down the Hearts left with Jody Morris vainly trailing in his slipstream and advanced on goal before letting fly with a rasping shot.
However, it flew wide of the far post, with Kyle and others waiting for the cross that never came.
Time and space was at a premium as the half progressed with both sides dogged in the tackle and even the likes of Morris struggling to exert a telling influence on the game.
On the half-hour mark, Danny Grainger became the first player to be booked after he tugged back Ian Black as he advanced on goal.
Novikovas stepped up to strike a fiercely-hit free-kick, but he could only direct it into the arms of the grateful Enckelman.
Shortly after, Samuel was a whisker away from a Sam Parkin headed flick into the Hearts penalty area but goalie Jamie MacDonald was smartly off his line to snuff out the danger.
There was danger at the other end in the 37th minute when a slack Chris Millar pass allowed Stephen Elliot to get in behind the Saints defence.
He headed for the byeline and sent over a wicked delivery which was just inches above the head of the rampaging Kyle.Half chanceSaints were next to have a half chance when Parkin was first to a loose ball on the edge of the Hearts penalty area. The big English striker produced a neat turn before hitting a sweet volley narrowly wide of MacDonald’s right-hand post.
Then, in stoppage time, Millar played a cross in from the right towards Davidson who deflected it towards the unmarked Samuel eight yards out but the big striker could not produce enough power with his header and MacDonald saved comfortably to ensure the half ended scoreless.
Saints started the second half strongly, looking as if they believed this tie was there for the winning, and they came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 53rd minute when Morris hit a deep free-kick to the right.
The Hearts defence was caught napping as Dave Mackay ghosted in to direct a header back across goal but it flew just wide of the far post.
Morris was next to see yellow after he chopped down Stevenson and from the subsequent free-kick, Hearts mounted a sustained period of pressure on the St Johnstone goal but Enckelman and co held out thanks to some desperate defending.
Saints looked to bounce back and Samuel had a glorious opportunity when he was played in on goal by Millar, but the striker’s touch to take it round MacDonald narrowed the angle and he ended up shooting tamely into the keeper’s arms.
Saints then had an amazing escape in the 62nd minute when Stephen Elliott broke down the Hearts left and skipped past Michael Duberry before hitting the byeline.
He played a slide-rule ball into the path of substitute striker David Obua who inexplicably prodded the ball over the bar from just four yards.
McInnes replaced the tiring Samuel with Stevie May and the teenager almost made a dream start when he was narrowly wide with a shot from 18 yards in the 70th minute.
Nine minutes later, May broke clear and raced through on goal, but just as he looked to pull the trigger, Eggert Jonsson stormed back to make a vital tackle to deny the striker.”Hard one to take”However, there was to be no denying substitute MacDonald in the 85th minute. Hearts had weakly cleared the ball out of their box but only to Davidson who headed it back towards goal.
MacDonald stole in behind the home defence to latch on to the ball as Ismael Bouzid made a hash of trying to clear and kept his cool to calmly prod home past his namesake in the Hearts goal.
In stoppage time, Enckelman pulled off a crucial save from an Elliott shot from inside the box.
Hearts boss Jim Jefferies said, “It is hard to criticise the players. They have played really well recently but they did not do so tonight. We paid the penalty for that. Obua had a great chance and if that had gone in, it might have been a different result.
“It is a hard one to accept.”
Attendance 6221.
Hearts MacDonald, Jonsson, Palazuelos, Black (Templeton, 58), Kyle (Obua, 56), Elliott, Stevenson, Novikovas (Elliot, 75), Bouzid, Zaliukas, Mrowiec. Subs not used Kello, Thomson.
St Johnstone Enckelman, Mackay, Grainger, Morris, Duberry, Millar, Parkin (MacDonald, 77), Craig (Maybury, 90), Anderson, Davidson, Samuel (May, 66). Subs not used Smith, Caddis.
Referee Iain Brines.