MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 17:57:35| >> :120:26624:26624:
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Attendance: 16,211
Hearts logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 25
Feb 5, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
 
Kilmarnock logo

2-3

Clare (79' pen.), Halkett (89')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Findlay (24'), Burke (38'), Brophy (50')
Branescu (80')

Daniel Stendel turns focus to victory over Kilmarnock

Daniel Stendel turns focus to victory over Kilmarnock
© Reuters
Hearts salvaged a point at St Johnstone with a 90th-minute Sean Clare equaliser.

Hearts boss Daniel Stendel was mystified by his side's second-half collapse against bogey team St Johnstone.

However, he was delighted with the backing from an army of travelling supporters who stuck by their team into stoppage time, when Sean Clare rewarded them with a spectacular equaliser.

And now, hard on the heels of taking Rangers' scalp on home turf, Stendel hopes to give the Jambos fans something else to celebrate by claiming three points against Kilmarnock on Wednesday.

"The support they (the players) got from the fans was good," he said.

"They pushed the players and that will be a strength if they can help the players in difficult situations.

"I hope we can give back to the supporters for the backing when we are back at Tynecastle."

After goals from Liam Boyce and Steven Naismith overturned Stevie May's early strike, Hearts rode their luck in a second half dominated by Tommy Wright's side, who bounced back from an energy-sapping 3-0 loss to Celtic.

Midfielder Ali McCann added to his growing reputation to make it 2-2 soon after the break and May made it 3-2 when he smashed home a 62nd-minute spot-kick, with other chances including an outrageous 45-yard May lob desperately fended off by Hearts goalkeeper Joel Pereira.

"I will need some time to understand what happened in the second half," Stendel said.

"At half-time I didn't think I would be saying I'd be happy with a point but when you see the second half I am."

St Johnstone boss Wright vented his frustration with two decisions by referee Greg Aitken before Clare's late leveller denied his side a nine-point advantage over second-bottom Hearts.

"It was a poor decision. It was our throw-in and the fourth official is right in front of it and he clearly says 'blue, blue'," he said.

"Why he isn't listening to his fourth official I don't know. You can bring VAR into Scotland all you want but it wouldn't have worked today because the ref didn't listen.

"Also, if that wasn't a foul on Jamie McCart then I don't know what is.

"They didn't deserve anything from the game because we were better, but they got a point with a great strike."

But Wright praised his players for producing one of their best displays of the season.

"After the tough game they had on Wednesday they were outstanding, it was a brilliant performance in the second half," he said.

Saints head for Aberdeen on Wednesday with injuries piling-up.

Defender Liam Gordon suffered concussion after a clash of heads with Boyce and has been ruled out of the trip to Pittodrie.

Full-back Scott Tanser was substituted at half-time with a thigh injury and midfield pair Drey Wright and Murray Davidson were already on the casualty list.

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St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright pictured in January 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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