Murray Davidson brace lifts St Johnstone to big win at HeartsA first-half Murray Davidson brace and a late Darnell Fisher strike handed St Johnstone a stunning 3-0 Ladbrokes Premiership victory over Hearts at Tynecastle.Scotland cap Davidson twice headed in Liam Craig corners inside 21 minutes to overwhelm a Hearts side that had not conceded a goal in four straight matches prior to Saturday.Fisher added a third in the dying stages to add gloss to a memorable afternoon in Gorgie.St Johnstone were rewarded for taking the game to their Edinburgh counterparts, with the home side falling well short of the standards that has taken Robbie Neilson's side clear in third.Saints had Hearts on the back foot from the first minute with their high pressing and their reward arrived in the 11th minute when Davidson headed Tommy Wright's side in front.Craig's corner was helped on by Brian Easton and the unmarked Davidson headed into the net.Hearts were struggling to get going, but credit for that had to go to their visitors.Neil Alexander then pulled off a good save to keep St Johnstone's lead at one when he got down to David Wotherspoon's drive, with Perry Kitchen on hand to clear the danger as Chris Kane got ready to pounce.The home fans had to wait until the 19th minute to see their team put together their first meaningful attack.Juanma raced on to Liam Smith's pass down the flank and his left-footed delivery to the back post was met by Jordan McGhee, but goalkeeper Alan Mannus pushed the defender's header round for a corner.Saints then doubled their lead with a near-replica of their first goalThis time, Davidson was found by another Craig in-swinging corner at the back post and the Scotland cap headed in despite Alexander's efforts to keep the ball out.Davidson could have had a hat-trick but the midfielder headed just over in the 36th minute from another Craig corner.After Hearts goalkeeper Alexander got behind a Fisher drive from distance, the Gorgie outfit made a strong finish to the half - with Jamie Walker twice going close.Walker was found by Arnaud Djoum at the back post in the 44th minute but the playmaker's header was straight at Mannus.The highly rated Walker was then denied by a good save by Mannus at the keeper's near post after flicking McGhee's low cross goal-ward.St Johnstone were looking to put the game to bed at the start of the second half
After Chris Millar's sliding effort trickled just wide of the far post, goalkeeper Alexander came out of his goal to block an effort from Chris Kane.Alexander then pulled off a stunning save in the 68th minute when Steven MacLean got a glancing header onto Craig's free-kick into the box.At the other end a dipping Walker volley from the edge of the box just came down the wrong side of the bar.After claiming two assists, St Johnstone playmaker Craig then cracked a drive off the bar from a full 35 yards.St Johnstone added a third with two minutes left when Wotherspoon found Fisher in the box and the right-back squeezed a shot into the far corner
Source : PA
Source: PA