Hearts endured a taxing week but managed to secure a narrow 2-1 victory at home over St Johnstone, lifting them into second place in the Scottish Premiership. Fresh from a mid‑week Conference League play‑off win against Rapid Vienna, the Jambos entered the match with confidence and quickly established a two‑goal cushion.
James Wilson opened the scoring early, and the second strike came via an own goal from Saints’ newcomer Enes Alic. However, the advantage evaporated after the interval when Ruari Paton reduced the deficit, leaving Hearts to cling on during the final minutes. Wouter Vrancken, the Hearts manager, made four alterations to the lineup that had travelled to Austria on Wednesday. He introduced Christian Borchgrevink, Tomas Magnusson, Laurent Mendy and Sabah Kerjota, while American forward JJ Williams was named among the substitutes.
For St Johnstone, the first match in three weeks saw Bosnian left‑back Enes Alic make his debut. The game’s tempo rose in the seventh minute when Mendy’s header was cleared by Toby Steward after Tomas Magnusson redirected a corner taken by Jordi Altena.
Just two minutes later, Josh McPake pounced on a loose pass from Saints defender Zach Mitchell, slipping a perfectly weighted ball into Wilson’s path. Wilson burst into the box and fired a low shot past a vulnerable Steward, giving Hearts an early lead. Hearts continued to press.
Kerjota cut in from the right, but his low effort was comfortably blocked by Steward. The Saints goalkeeper then made a crucial save, parrying a deflected strike from Mendy that had come from about 20 yards.
Later, Jamie Gullan missed a chance when his shot went wide after a Liam Smith cross, while Borchgrevink was caught in possession. On the opposite flank, Altena’s free‑kick was initially saved by Steward, but the ensuing corner saw Mendy rise to meet the ball. The goal was disallowed after the referee ruled there had been a foul on the Saints keeper. Nevertheless, Mendy remained a constant threat and, in the 39th minute, combined with the newly‑debutant Alic to bundle a free‑kick into the six‑yard box, doubling Hearts’ lead.
The first half ended with the visitors still searching for a response, despite McPake’s effort being pushed behind by Steward after a drive from the left. The halftime whistle came after a period in which Hearts largely dominated possession and created the majority of clear‑cut chances. St Johnstone emerged from the break with renewed vigor. In the 48th minute, Paton out‑muscled Altena to latch onto Sam Stanton’s lofted ball, then slotted past the exposed Beau Reus from just inside the box, pulling one back for the visitors.
The equaliser sparked a surge of pressure from the Saints, who almost forced a second goal when Hearts defender Stuart Findlay diverted Alic’s cross just wide of the post. Hearts attempted to re‑assert control midway through the second half. Substitute Landry Kabore saw his effort denied by a spectacular save from Steward, while Blair Spittal’s curling shot struck the underside of the cross‑bar. Despite the Saints’ relentless pressing in the closing stages, Vrancken’s side held firm, securing back‑to‑back league victories.
After the match, Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken reflected on the performance: “The first half was decent, but we could have added more goals. After they scored, we panicked a bit and lost some quality, fighting just to keep the result. I’m still proud of the players – they played 120 minutes with only two days’ rest. Recovery is tough, and many forget how hard that is.
When St Johnstone scored, fatigue set in both physically and emotionally. I’m glad the squad stayed together and fought as a unit; that collective spirit is vital.” St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari also commented: “Conceding two goals in the first half is a mountain to climb. We’re disappointed with the result, but not with the effort, desire, or football we displayed. We created many chances; you have to take them.
In the second half we pressed hard, using our rotations, movement and passing to suffocate the opposition. Yet we missed the opportunities, which is where the disappointment lies.” Overall, the match showcased Hearts’ resilience after a congested schedule and highlighted St Johnstone’s capacity to fight back despite a difficult start.
Both managers emphasized the importance of teamwork, stamina, and capitalising on chances – key themes as the Scottish Premiership race intensifies.