Hearts Overcome Red Card to Beat St Mirren 2-0 and Extend Premiership Lead
Ten-Man Hearts Triumph in Crucial Title Clash
Hearts overcame Beni Baningime’s early red card to pull off a stunning 2-0 win over St Mirren and restore their six-point cushion at the top of the William Hill Premiership. The Wednesday night victory at Tynecastle Park proved crucial for Derek McInnes’ title-chasing side, who showed remarkable resilience to secure three vital points despite playing with ten men for most of the match.
Early Setback Fails to Derail League Leaders
The midfielder was dismissed for a rash, studs-up challenge on Roland Idowu after just 15 minutes with the match still goalless, sucking the life out of a pumped-up Tynecastle crowd and leaving the Jambos up against it. However, the league leaders refused to be deterred by the numerical disadvantage. The 10 men, sensing an opportunity to pull off a huge victory in the title race, got themselves in front on the hour when Blair Spittal got down the right and sent a low delivery across the box for Shankland to prod beyond George, sparking delirious scenes inside a ramped-up Tynecastle.
Magnusson Seals Victory as Hearts Extend Lead
Just as Saints were starting to crank up the pressure, Hearts got themselves up the pitch and scored a second in the 80th minute when substitute Magnusson followed up to nod gleefully into an empty net after Milne’s shot had been parried by George. Derek McInnes’ side are now six points clear of both Rangers and Celtic, who they host in their next league match a week on Sunday.
Title Race Significance
This remarkable victory represents Hearts’ second consecutive win with ten men, following a similar result at Dundee just days earlier. It was a fifth victory in six league matches for Derek McInnes’ men, who are bidding to become the first non-Old Firm side to lift the title since Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1985. The result puts Hearts in a commanding position as they prepare to host defending champions Celtic at Tynecastle in their next league fixture, with the opportunity to further cement their credentials as genuine title contenders this season.