Football: Clark bridges gap for Saints

St Johnstone 3 Heart of Midlothian 0

IT HAS taken Sandy Clark 51 days to end a 29-year barren spell. A generation of St Johnstone fans have grown up since their club last appeared in a national final, the 1969 League Cup against Celtic and, win or lose, at least the souvenir pictures for this season's version will be in colour.

Clark will hope the manager's touch he has brought to them will last at least until the final with Rangers next month, the willingness of his team to move forward and the pace with which they strike suggests they can give Rangers an uncomfortable afternoon.

The Perth side were too good for a Hearts team that continues to underachieve. As they attempted to reach their first cup final in 29 years St Johnstone had been installed as pre-match favourites by Jim Jefferies, the Hearts manager, and, while his comments amounted to little more than mind games, the Perth side has been transformed.

The first half was changed by two goals in the final five minutes. In the 41st minute the Hearts defence failed to clear a corner and when the ball fell to Nick Dasovic the Canadian swept an impressive volley into the net. Three minutes later Allan Preston collected the ball 30 yards from goal and with nothing obviously available to him he steadied himself before flighting a superb shot into the top corner.

Hearts made a double substitution at half-time in an attempt to get back into the tie with Thomas Flogel and Jose Quitongo introduced to the action. Within a couple of minutes Steve Fulton flashed a drive wide of the posts but there were ominous signs for Hearts that the pace of George O'Boyle and Miguel Simao could expose gaps in their defence. Their two-goal cushion allowed St Johnstone the luxury to sit back and operate on the break but they almost paid the price when slack defending allowed Rob McKinnon the chance to drive into the penalty area, but his low shot was well saved at his near post by Alan Main.

The trickery of Quitongo created another chance a couple of minutes later, but this time Flogel's header was deflected wide. Adam then headed wastefully wide.

O'Boyle completed a comfortable evening for Saints when he blasted a third goal from close range in the 87th minute.

St Johnstone (4-4-2): Main; McQuillan, Dods, Kernaghan, Bollan; O'Neil, Kane, Dasovic, Preston (McMahon, 88); O'Boyle (Grant, 89), Simao (Lowndes, 70).

Heart of Midlothian (3-5-2): Rousset; Weir, McPherson, Ritchie; Locke, Salvatori (Flogel, 45), Fulton, (Quitongo, 45), McKinnon; Adam, Hamilton. Substitute not used: Pressley.

Referee: W Young (Clarkston).