After a demanding week that tested their stamina, Hearts managed to hold on for a narrow 2-1 victory over St Johnstone on home turf, a result that lifted them into second place in the Scottish Premiership. The Jambos entered the match buoyed by a recent Conference League play‑off win away to Rapid Vienna, and they quickly established a two‑goal advantage that seemed to put the game beyond the Saints’ reach.

James Wilson opened the scoring early, capitalising on a loose ball, and the lead was doubled when a mis‑hit by Saints debutant Enes Alic resulted in an own‑goal. However, the second half saw the visitors rally, with Ruari Paton pulling one back shortly after the break, leaving Hearts to cling to their advantage in the final minutes.

Manager Wouter Vrancken made four alterations to the lineup that had travelled to Austria, introducing Christian Borchgrevink, Tomas Magnusson, Laurent Mendy and Sabah Kerjota. American forward JJ Williams was named on the bench.

For St Johnstone, the match marked their first competitive appearance in three weeks and featured the debut of Bosnian left‑back Enes Alic. The opening stages hinted at a lively contest. In the seventh minute, Mendy’s header was cleared by Toby Steward after Magnusson redirected a corner from Jordi Altena across the goalmouth. Just two minutes later, Josh McPake pounced on a wayward pass from Saints defender Zach Mitchell, slipping a perfectly weighted ball to Wilson, who sprinted into the box and fired past the exposed Steward to give Hearts the lead.

Hearts continued to press. Kerjota cut in from the right, but his low effort was comfortably blocked by Steward. The Saints’ goalkeeper, Beau Reus, made a crucial save when Mendy’s deflected strike from 20 yards was headed toward goal. Later, Jamie Gullan missed a chance after a cross from Liam Smith, while Borchgrevink was caught in possession and forced a turnover.

Hearts appeared to be in control when Altena’s free‑kick was cleared by Steward, only for Mendy to head the ball home from the ensuing corner. The goal was disallowed after the referee judged a foul on Reus in the build‑up. Nevertheless, Mendy remained a constant threat. In the 39th minute, he and Saints defender Alic combined to bundle the ball into the net from a left‑side free‑kick, restoring Hearts’ two‑goal cushion.

The first half ended with the Jambos dominating possession and creating the majority of clear‑cut chances. In the second half, St Johnstone emerged with renewed purpose.

At the 48th minute, Paton outmuscled Altena, latched onto a lofted ball from Sam Stanton, and slipped past the still‑exposed Reus to level the score at 2‑2. The Saints continued to press, and a cross from Alic was narrowly missed when Hearts defender Stuart Findlay diverted it just wide of the post. Hearts attempted to regain composure, and substitute Landry Kabore saw his effort saved spectacularly by Steward. Blair Spittal later unleashed a curling shot that struck the underside of the cross‑bar, further heightening the drama.

Despite the Saints’ sustained pressure in the closing stages, Vrancken’s side held firm, securing back‑to‑back league victories. Post‑match, Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken reflected on the performance: “The first half was decent; we could have scored more. After they pulled one back, panic set in and the quality dipped, but I’m proud of the players. They played 120 minutes with just two days’ rest – you can’t fully recover that quickly, and many forget how hard that is.

When St Johnstone scored, the fatigue hit both physically and emotionally, but the squad stuck together and fought for the result. That unity is vital; you need technical skill, but you also need the mental strength to push through tough moments, and they showed that today.” St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari admitted disappointment but praised his side’s effort: “Conceding two goals in the first half is a mountain to climb.

I’m not upset with the players’ application, desire, or the football they played. We created many chances, and in this environment you have to take them. In the second half we pressed hard, using our rotations, movement and passing to suffocate the opponent.

We just need to be more clinical with our opportunities.” The match also featured several promotional messages encouraging fans to try the Super 6 lottery for chances to win substantial cash prizes, underscoring the commercial side of Scottish football. Overall, the game demonstrated Hearts’ resilience after a congested schedule, their ability to secure a win despite a late surge from St Johnstone, and highlighted the importance of squad depth and mental fortitude in a tightly contested league.