Hearts debrief: McGowan and Devlin clash; Flexible formations; Beaton's big calls; Boyce blow

A look back at the takeaways and talking points from Hearts’ thrilling and incident-packed Premiership victory over St Johnstone at Tynecastle Park.

YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

When Cammy Devlin cleverly bought a foul from former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan by getting his body in the right place to invite contact and then go down, the Saints man fell on top of him. McGowan proceeded to use a hand to press his compatriot’s face into the grass, prompting howls of protests from Jambo fans. After releasing his grip, McGowan then put both arms round Devlin’s chest and hauled him to his feet, but the Hearts midfielder walked away without flinching or reacting. Perhaps it was Aussie rough-and-tumble banter between the pair of them.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Cammy Devlin and St Johnstone's Ryan McGowan shake hands at full time. Picture: Ross Parker / SNS

Lewis Neilson was making his first competitive start in maroon, but the 19-year-old looked like a season campaigner at the centre of the back three. Commanding in the air and composed on the ground, he stepped out of defence at times to mix it up and had enough confidence to produce a flash of sublime skill in the second half with an audacious turn. With so many defenders out injured, his assured performance surely makes him a stick-on starter for the games coming up.

DEFINING MOMENT

Liam Boyce being stretchered off in first-half injury time was a sad sight and summed up a day of mixed emotions for Hearts. The result was a relief and there was plenty of pride in the performance, but the big talking point after the dust had settled at the end of a dramatic and incident-packed match was the injury situation. After scoring his first goal of the season, Boyce appeared to twist his right knee after catching his studs in the grass and was in some pain. With Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson also limping off, the medical department is in for a busy few days.

TACTICAL OBSERVATIONS

Liam Boyce is stretchered off in first-half injury time. Picture: Ross Parker / SNS

Robbie Neilson had favoured a back four in most matches this season, but was perhaps persuaded to go with a 3-4-3 due to the personnel available in defence. Reshuffles were forced upon him as injuries piled up, but the manager’s decision to change to a makeshift back four with 25 minutes left was a tactical one. After a good start to the second half from Saints, it re-established control for his team and helped Hearts get Barrie McKay on the ball. Such flexibility is a real asset for Hearts.

REF WATCH

John Beaton got plenty of stick at the end but his handling of a chaotic match wasn’t nearly as bad as the Hearts fans made out. The late penalty award was an easy call to make and the yellow card shown to Saints midfielder Daniel Phillips for clumsy challenge on Cammy Devlin was also the right call, with Liam Boyce’s injury in the aftermath purely accidental. Both teams had penalty claims correctly turned down early in the first half, but how Josh Ginnelly didn’t get a free-kick for being manhandled a couple of times in the first half was a mystery.

UP NEXT

Referee John Beaton was booed by the Hearts fans but got the big calls correct. Picture: Ross Parker / SNS

The games keep coming thick and fast with Kilmarnock the visitors to Tynecastle Park on Wednesday in the Premier Sports Cup before Saturday’s trip to Livingston.

More How the Hearts players rated against Saints