A deserved 2-1 victory over St Johnstone gave interim Hearts head coach Liam Fox his third win from three games in charge in Tynecastle Park’s final fixture of the season. While the hosts await Derek McInnes’ arrival from Kilmarnock, Fox inspired another convincing performance in a game which offically relegated Saints to the Championship.
A Barry Douglas own goal and a smart finish from Alan Forrest put Hearts 2-0 ahead by half-time, with the visitors looking beaten by that stage. Substitute Graham Carey produced a sublime 25-yard free-kick on 74 minutes to allow them some hope, but the men in maroon saw out the evening to claim another three points.
This was Hearts’ 10th win in a row against St Johnstone and the visiting squad departed in dejected fashion after a late Ross County goal against Dundee confirmed their relegation from Scotland’s top flight.
Pre-match chatter centred around Hearts’ transfer talks with the Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis. He is one of several prospective targets identified for next season, but first there were two remaining matches of the current campaign to negotiate.
Two changes to the Hearts team saw left-back Harry Milne make his Tynecastle debut and midfielder Yan Dhanda restored to the starting line-up. James Penrice dropped out to prevent the possibility of a yellow card which would rule him out of league matches early next season. Kenneth Vargas was also absent having injured a knee against Motherwell on Saturday.
St Johnstone began the match three points adrift of Ross County at the bottom of the Premiership and knew they could be relegated by full-time if results went against them. They forced an early save from Ryan Fulton in the Hearts goal after Barry Douglas’ surging run teed up Josh McPake, who cut inside for a deflected right-footed effort which Fulton parried.
Milne’s impact on proceedings peaked on 17 minutes. His surging run down the left ended with a low cross towards Lawrence Shankland near the six-yard line, which Douglas inadvertently knocked into his own net. Moments later, 1-0 almost became 2-0 when Dhanda’s 20-yard free-kick crashed off the top of the St Johnstone crossbar.
On the half-hour mark, Hearts did score again when Forrest struck his third goal in three games. Right-back Adam Forrester fed Shankland for an intelligent threaded pass for Forrest to scamper in behind the visiting defence. He produced a precise low finish with his right foot to send the ball nestling in the far corner of goalkeeper Andrew Fisher’s net.
St Johnstone forced a glorious chance to drag themselves back into this encounter four minutes before the break. McPake raced in to close down and intercept the ball as Hearts’ Frankie Kent tried to pass from defence. McPake sprinted off for a one-on-one with Fulton, but his low effort was deflected clear by the keeper’s outstretched left foot for an impressive stop.
Former Hearts striker Uche Ikpeazu entered the fray as a St Johnstone substitute to a rousing reception from Tynecastle’s home support early in the second half. Seconds later, Shankland’s audacious effort from just inside the visitors’ half almost landed in the net with Fisher scrambling back until the ball bounced past his right post.
Another substitute from Perth, Carey, afforded his team some hope on 74 minutes. He stepped up to arc a magnificent 25-yard free-kick high into the net past Fulton’s desparing dive. That inspired a rejuvenation of Simo Valakari’s team and they went on the offensive looking for an equaliser. Hearts were pressed back into their own defensive third as umpteen cross balls landed in their penalty area, many of them from Stephen Duke-McKenna.
After four minutes of injury-time, the final whistle brought the curtain down on Hearts’ home matches for 2024/25 - and St Johnstone’s top-flight stay. Some had been memorable, others less so, but they finished with three points to leave Fox and his coaches content on the night.
Here are the Hearts player ratings from Tynecastle:
5. LB: Harry Milne
7/10 Stepped in for only his second Hearts appearance and his first in maroon at Tynecastle. His surging run and cross led to the opening goal. A good night's work. | SNS Group
6. RM: Cammy Devlin
7/10 Plenty energy. Looked to get forward whenever Shankland dropped deep. Used the ball fairly well and made sensbile, quick decisions. | SNS Group
7. CM: Beni Baningime
7/10 Anchored midfield with composure. Quite quiet but organised others around him and protected his defenders. | SNS Group
8. LM: Jorge Grant
7/10 Worked hard offensively and defensively. Put in a couple of important challenges - one to stop Graham Carey in the act of shooting just after half-time. | SNS Group