Recovering manager Levein enjoys relaxing afternoon as Hearts hammer St Mirren

Posted Sunday, September 02, 2018 by PA

Steven Naismith scored a first-half hat-trick to give recuperating Hearts manager Craig Levein the perfect tonic with a 4-1 victory over St Mirren.

Olly Lee was also on target as the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders maintained their perfect start and ensured Levein enjoyed as relaxed an afternoon at home as he could have envisaged.

Assistant manager Austin MacPhee took charge with Levein absent following emergency treatment in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s coronary care unit on Monday morning.

But Levein had recovered so quickly that he was able to pick the team and the plan went smoothly apart from Jimmy Dunne’s own goal.

Hearts were in such a comfortable position that goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal was able to join in a round of applause for the 53-year-old eight minutes into the second half.

St Mirren brought back Jack Baird and Cammy Smith following defeat by Livingston, and Alan Stubbs moved to a three-man central defence after conceding eight goals in three consecutive defeats.

But the game plan was undermined inside four minutes when Baird was penalised by Kevin Clancy for grappling Uche Ikpeazu. Naismith accepted the gift by stroking home the spot-kick.

Stephen McGinn had a swift chance to level but dragged his shot wide from 18 yards and Hearts soon went in search of a second.

Demetri Mitchell was causing problems on the left of midfield after being brought straight into the team following his second loan move from Manchester United, and Ben Garuccio came close from long range.

But the hosts were stunned in the 19th minute when Smith did well to drive the ball across the face of goal from the byline, and Dunne knocked it in from close range.

It took Hearts 11 minutes to restore their lead after Saints were easily exposed at the back. Naismith headed the ball into the path of Lee and the midfielder volleyed home from six yards with Craig Samson rooted to his line.

Mitchell had vowed to show Hearts fans more flair in his second spell and he did that with a stunning overhead kick that bounced off the bar.

Samson saved well from Steven MacLean but the game quickly slipped away from the visitors.

Naismith headed home from close range after Hearts had won the first and second balls from a 41st-minute corner. And the midfielder slotted past Samson two minutes later after Peter Haring had taken control of play and set him up.

Kyle Magennis forced an early save from Zlamal after the break and the visitors came closest to scoring in the second half when John Souttar cleared off the line from Matty Willock.

Hearts came close through Ikpeazu, MacLean, Mitchell and substitute Calumn Morrison but never got out of second gear and Alfie Jones should have pulled one back when he missed his kick from six yards out.

Hearts brought on new signing Craig Wighton and Arnaud Djoum following six months out with an Achilles injury and saw out the win, although the latter was lucky to stay on the park following a terrible challenge on Ryan Flynn.