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St Mirren logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 2
Aug 7, 2021 at 3pm UK
The SMISA Stadium
Hearts logo

St Mirren
1 - 2
Hearts

Shaughnessy (85')
Main (90+2')
Dennis (86')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Halliday (16'), Boyce (73')
Haring (28'), Baningime (36')

Hearts go top of Premiership with St Mirren win

Hearts go top of Premiership with St Mirren win
© Reuters
Andy Halliday and Liam Boyce were on the scoresheet for Robbie Neilson's men.

Hearts moved to the top of the cinch Premiership with a hard-fought 2-1 win away at St Mirren.

Goals in either half from Andy Halliday and Liam Boyce saw Robbie Neilson's men extend their perfect start to the season.

Jim Goodwin's side got a goal back late on through Joe Shaughnessy then finished the game with 10 men when Kristian Dennis was shown a straight red card moments later.

Goodwin had made two changes from the team that had drawn with Dundee on opening day. Jay Henderson and Ethan Erhahon both dropped to the bench, replaced in the starting line-up by Richard Tait and Greg Kiltie.

Hearts, in turn, made just one switch following their win over Celtic. Peter Haring was handed a start with Stephen Kingsley dropping out altogether due to illness.

It was the visitors who had the first chance after a cagey start. Michael Smith picked out Boyce with a cross from the right and the striker's header dropped just wide of the target.

St Mirren responded with a Curtis Main shot on the turn that shaved the outside of the post.

But it was Hearts who claimed the lead after 16 minutes, Boyce teeing up left wing-back Halliday who lifted a neat shot beyond Jak Alnwick.

Tait then hit the Hearts crossbar with a header but referee Gavin Duncan had blown anyway for a foul earlier in the move.

From a Jamie McGrath corner, St Mirren captain Shaughnessy then headed over the Hearts crossbar.

The Tynecastle side had further chances of their own before the half was out but both were spurned by Gary Mackay-Steven, while a half-hearted St Mirren penalty appeal for a trip on Tait was waved away.

The home side opened the second half pushing for an equaliser and Craig Gordon clutched two stinging Eamonn Brophy efforts in quick succession.

Kiltie then found no takers with a great ball across the face of goal before Main's volley went narrowly wide.

Hearts had hardly been in the second half as an attacking force but doubled their lead with a rare foray forward after 73 minutes.

Mackay-Steven fed Boyce who cut onto his right foot before unleashing a shot that beat Alnwick for power.

St Mirren gave themselves a lifeline when Shaughnessy headed Scott Tanser's cross beyond Gordon.

But any chance of a comeback effectively ended seconds later when substitute Dennis was shown a straight red card for smashing into Haring.

ID:458515:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4480:No Data Analysis info
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How you voted: St Mirren vs Hearts

St Mirren
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Draw
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Hearts
59.0%
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Today's games header
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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