Hearts 3-0 St Johnstone: New midfield, Jorge Grant's influence, Josh Ginnelly's favourite opponents

Perhaps Josh Ginnelly just lives for meetings with St Johnstone. The Hearts forward now has five goals in six games against the Perth club following his double in this victory at Tynecastle Park.

While he inflicted seemingly relentless damage on Saints, Jorge Grant was the other scorer in a 3-0 triumph which keeps Hearts five points ahead of nearest challengers Hibs in third place in the Premiership. Grant also impressed in central midfield after revealing just yesterday in the Evening News how he wanted to start more matches.

If Ginnelly stood out for his two goals, Grant’s instinct to play direct passes at a high tempo made him the most effective midfielder on the pitch. St Johnstone deserved credit for their attacking approach in what was an entertaining match, however they lacked the kind of finishing touch produced by Ginnelly and Grant.

Saints arrived in Edinburgh without experienced figures Ryan McGowan, Andy Considine and Nicky Clark due to injury, plus the suspended Dan Phillips. Hearts reinstated defender Kye Rowles, midfielder Jorge Grant and forward Ginnelly as they sought to react after a 2-0 defeat at Motherwell two weeks previously.

Zander Clark produced the afternoon’s first meaningful save against his former club when he repelled Stevie May’s low attempt from 20 yards out. Hearts’ response was a flowing passing move from Robert Snodgrass to Lawrence Shankland, who delivered a clipped ball over the visiting defence for the advancing Michael Smith to drive into the arms of goalkeeper Remi Matthews.

The altered Hearts midfield – Grant on the right, Snodgrass anchoring and Barrie McKay on the left – strove to gain control with Grant’s quick passing a prominent feature. Ginnelly seized the initiative on 22 minutes with a left-footed shot which deflected significantly off the St Johnstone centre-back Liam Gordon. That took the ball away from Matthews and into the net to put Hearts 1-0 ahead as the away side appealed for a foul in the build-up. Referee Steven McLean did not agree.

Clark’s point-blank save from point-blank range prevented Drey Wright equalising on 30 minutes from May’s low delivery. The goalkeeper also pushed Cammy MacPherson’s curling strike over for a corner near the interval. It was clear Saints carried plenty threat in a very open game.

Hearts needed a second goal and it arrived after 62 minutes. Alex Cochrane’s clever ball through Wright’s legs found McKay inside the penalty area for a low cross which Ginnelly converted from close range. He wheeled away to celebrate after plundering yet another goal against the Perth club.

Hearts forward Josh Ginnelly celebrates scoring against St Johnstone once again.

Grant added a third 18 minutes from full-time with what appeared initially to be a low cross from the right corner of St Johnstone’s penalty area. The ball arrowed straight across goal and beyond Matthews’ dive into the far corner of the net.

There was applause on 79 minutes for Hearts fan Allan Moir who recently passed away. Stephen Kingsley and Rowles preserved the clean sheet by blocking shots from Saints substitute Zak Rudden and defender Alex Mitchell respectively in the dying moments. Hearts substitute Garang Kuol struck the crossbar in stoppage-time but a three-goal margin was sufficient for the hosts.

Hearts (3-5-2): Clark; Hill, Rowles, Kingsley (Halliday 70); M Smith (Forrest 86), Grant, Snodgrass (Kiomourtzoglou 70), McKay (Devlin 78), Cochrane; Shankland, Ginnelly (Kuol 78).

St Johnstone (3-4-1-2): Matthews; Mitchell, Gordon, Brown; Wright, MacPherson, Hallberg (Wotherspoon 75), Montgomery (Gallacher 86); Carey (Bair 75); McLennan (Rudden 70), May (Murphy 75).

Referee: Steven McLean.

Attendance: 18,596.