St Johnstone 1 Celtic 2: Jan the man as Saints fight the good fight

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink crushed St Johnstone's dream of reaching their first Scottish Cup final yesterday by using his head to crucial effect on two occasions to keep the Double within Celtic's grasp.

The Dutch striker shrewdly won a first-half penalty, which he converted, and then came up with a vital 53rd-minute header which decided a thrilling semi-final at Hampden Park.

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On another day, St Johnstone would have earned a replay or even won this contest. The First Division side threatened to consume Celtic in the same fashion as they did Rangers en route to the CIS League Cup semi-final.

However, it is the Bhoys who will return to the national stadium on 26 May, to face either Dunfermline Athletic or Hibernian in the final. Owen Coyle, the St Johnstone manager, could not be consoled afterwards. He was irked by the 12th- minute penalty which was awarded after Vennegoor of Hesselink appeared to be tripped by the goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert, even though television replays showed little contact. "I was touched," said the Holland international. "St Johnstone made life hard but football is about winning. "

Strachan admitted that his jaded side had been there for the taking. "St Johnstone will be a benefit to the SPL when they earn promotion," said the Celtic manager. Coyle, though, was hurting. "I'm proud of my players but at the end of the day, we are out," he said. "I didn't think it was a penalty and I'm gutted."

Remarkably, St Johnstone could have been ahead moments before the penalty incident if Jason Scotland had been clinical after Peter McDonald's clever pass released him. However, the Trinidad and Tobago international allowed Artur Boruc to get a hand to his shot. Celtic profited from their escape by clearing the corner downfield where St Johnstone's isolated centre-back Kevin James glanced the ball into Vennegoor of Hesselink's path - he advanced into the box and and went down as goalkeeper Cuthbert sprawled across the turf. The referee Charlie Richmond awarded the penalty, which the Dutchman got up to slot home.

However, St Johnstone were only behind for six minutes. A lovely reverse pass by Paul Sheerin found the well-timed run of Hardie, who lifted the ball over Boruc into the goal. McDonald then came close for Saints with a raking shot.

However, eight minutes into the second half, Celtic were in front again. Cuthbert denied Paul Hartley's shot at the expense of a corner but Shunsuke Nakamura's perfect delivery to the near post was met by the head of Vennegoor of Hesselink to bullet the ball past Cuthbert.

St Johnstone then had Celtic under siege for the rest of the contest. Scotland eluded his markers in the 74th minute to stab the ball between Boruc's legs, only for Stephen McManus to slide the ball away from the empty net.

It proved vital, as the wafer-thin margin underlined.