Hearts debrief: Jorge Grant's star turn, Zander Clark's big invention, moments you may have missed
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Player of the match
It's tempting to give it to Josh Ginnelly for his two goals and he did have a good game overall, though did have extended periods where he wasn’t involved as much. Therefore, let’s plump for another player returning to the starting XI in Jorge Grant. The midfielder passed the ball quickly and accurately throughout the contest, so it’s perhaps a little ironic that his goal came from an intended ball for a team-mate that was mishit into the far corner of the net.
Defining moment
Until the second goal went in this was a tight contest that St Johnstone were unlucky to be losing. We could go for that strike, but a key feature of this game was how clinical Hearts were compared to their visitors. Callum Davidson’s side will likely look back at a big chance in the first half with regret. Drey Wright looked certain to have levelled from close range after being found by a Stevie May cross, but he was denied by a point-blank save from Zander Clark who haunted his former side with his brilliance.
Ref watch
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Hide AdSteven McLean drew the ire of the Saints players for refusing to give a foul against Lawrence Shankland in the build up to the opening goal. Similarly, Melker Hallberg was later booked for berating the ref in the immediate aftermath of the second goal, feeling he’d been fouled beforehand.
Benefit of hindsight
There wasn’t really much to be critical of from a Hearts perspective. James Hill starting instead of Toby Sibbick was an eyebrow raiser before the game and was perhaps the one change Robbie Neilson didn’t get quite right as the loanee was a little slack in possession.
Moments you may have missed
Michael Smith shared a laugh with former Hearts team-mate Steven MacLean, who is a coach at St Johnstone, as he went to retrieve the ball for a first-half throw-in. Robert Snograss cut through the air at one point with the shout “he took a bad touch and dived!” as he argued with referee Steven McLean over a foul conceded against Cammy MacPherson.
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