Robert Snodgrass netted his first Hearts goal to rescue a point in Paisley as both sides made it six games unbeaten.
The veteran midfielder, culpable at the Buddies’ opener, levelled shortly after the break when a trademark whipped cross deceived the St Mirren defence and travelled all the way in at the back post. The Jambos had barely laid a glove on Saints up to that point. But the home side - who ended with 10 men after Marcus Fraser was red carded in injury time for stamping on Jorge Grant - will be kicking themselves for a glut of missed first half chances.
In the end the point made it 10-unbeaten at home for the Paisley side who now head to Tynecastle on Friday for the second of a Scottish Premiership double header. After observing a minute’s applause for late great Buddies Hall of Famer Frank McGarvey the home side flew out the traps and took the lead inside four minutes through Ryan Strain. An uncharacteristically loose pass from Snodgrass was pounced on by Keanu Baccus who was fouled by Cammy Devlin as he homed in on goal. Strain stepped up to smash home the resultant free kick from 25 yards - via a heavy deflection off Toby Sibbick - to hand Saints a dream start.
Lawrence Shankland was looking to become the first Jambo to net in five successive games since Edgaras Jankauskas 17 years ago. He had his first sight of goal after 11 minutes when Josh Ginnelly knocked down an Alex Cochrane ball over the top but the hitman’s effort was blocked for a corner. Saints were dealt a blow after when goal hero Strain hobbled off with a leg knock and was replaced by Ryan Flynn. But Alex Greive was just inches away from doubling the lead in 24th minute when he threw himself at Curtis Main’s cross cum shot which slipped wide.
When they get their noses in front Stephen Robinson’s side are a difficult nut to crack, especially at home and Flynn went within a whisker of a second for the home side when his fizzing effort flew just wide from the edge of the box on the half hour. But the home support were cheering moments later when Jambos boss Robbie Neilson talked himself into referee Chris Graham’s book. Hearts had dominated the ball in the first 45 but had barely bothered the Buddies in where it matters.
At the other end the Buddies were finding far too much room in the away box and Greive missed two glaring chances from six yards in first half injury time. Zander Clark had to look sharp to push away a Main drive two minutes into the second half. And Saints were made to pay for their profligacy after 49 minutes when Snodgrass picked the ball up wide on the right, shifted the ball onto his left foot, and swung over a wicked cross which missed everyone on its way in at the back post.
If it counts as a ‘shot’ on target it was Hearts’ first of the game. But it changed the complexion of the encounter entirely. Alan Forrest fired into the side netting as Robbie Neilson’s side took over.
Shankland then headed straight at Carson from Michael Smith’s dinked cross and Ginnelly was denied by an excellent Joe Shaughnessy block as he burst through one on one. Then came the game’s big VAR moment on the hour mark. Another Snodgrass delivery from the right flew through a ruck of players and caught Alex Gogic on the hand. Graham kept his whistle out his mouth and presumably VAR checked the incident. No penalty.
Saints were far from out of this pulsating encounter though and Main forced a low save from Clark with 20 minutes remaining. The dame player then tested the keeper from 20 yards after a slip by Smith but again Clark stood firm. Neilson threw on Stephen Humphrys to join Shankland in a two-pronged attack for the closing stages but the Buddies held firm for a well-deserved share of the points despite Fraser seeing red in injury time for a stamp on Jorge Grant.
3 talking points
Wand of Snod
What a signing Robert Snodgrass has been for Hearts. It has to be pointed out he got off on the wrong foot in Paisley when his loose pass in his own half led to Saints’ opening goal. But the 35-year-old picked himself up, continued to demand the ball in tight areas and played his way back into the game.
His goal after 50 minutes was typical Snodgrass with a swing of that wicked left foot deceiving the entire Buddies defence to hand Hearts what had seemed up to that point an unlikely route back into the game. The veteran’s set piece deliveries have lost none of their potency and had the home side quivering like Dracula under a barrage of crosses one of which could easily have resulted in a spot kick when it caught Alex Gogic’s hand.
Buddies' good home form
St Mirren are now unbeaten in Paisley since the opening day against Motherwell - a run that includes wins over Celtic and Aberdeen and a draw with Rangers where only a last gasp James Tavernier penalty denied them three points. This was their 11th league game at home and there’s no secret to their formula. It’s simply a well-balance side, with good players who work their backsides off and know how to play a bit too.
On this evidence Saints don’t have a weak spot. Even the loss of suspended Ethan Erhahon didn’t weaken their midfield where Alex Gogic, Keanu Baccus and Mark O’Hara dominated the opening half. They had to weather the storm at times in the second half but Joe Shaughnessy, back for his first start since August in place of Declan Gallagher who missed out with a back problem, was a rock beside Marcus Fraser and Charles Dunne and limited the Gorgie men to half chances in the opening half before defending their box bravely in the second.
No splitting them
Another week, another step away from the rest for the Old Firm. Fair play to Toby Sibbick, his pre-match claim that Hearts are targeting second spot was positive and would have been lapped up by the Jambos’ support. But the truth is there’s a 14-point gap to second spot and 26 to top and this result shows exactly why.
Hearts are in pole position to record a third place finish again but the dog eat dog nature of the Premiership from third to eighth means every team is cutting each other’s throat in the fight to be best of the rest. Two good teams put on a thoroughly enjoyable match in Paisley but neither is going to get close to splitting the top two. That’s the reality.
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