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Joe Shaughnessy (14) headed St Johnstone in front

St Johnstone moved five points clear of Hearts in fourth spot with a well deserved Premiership win at home.

Saints hit the bar through Paul Paton and Brian Easton, while Graham Cummins forced a save from Hearts goalkeeper Jack Hamilton.

Hearts offered little and Saints finally got the goal their pressure deserved when Joe Shaughnessy headed in from a corner with 17 minutes left.

Sam Nicholson was sent off late on for Hearts for an off-the-ball incident.

Wright direction

If fourth place is to be fought out between these two sides, then St Johnstone will prevail by a distance on this evidence.

They now hold a significant advantage and may even start thinking about chasing third.

Shaughnessy broke the deadlock and the otherwise impressive Hamilton was at fault.

He spilled a simple ball on the touchline, conceding a needless corner, and was punished as Shaughnessy rose to bury a header.

One point of interest that may have contributed to that was the introduction of Prince Buaben at centre-back to replace Anastasios Avlonitis.

Shaughnessy had a free run at goal and an unchallenged header. It was expensive.

Deserved victory

After a slow start from both teams, the home side sparked into life and were very unlucky not to make the breakthrough in the opening period.

Paton provided the inspiration with a pile driver form the edge of the box that Hamilton superbly tipped away.

Easton then thought he had netted but watched his angled drive smash off the crossbar before Blair Alston's follow up was blocked.

Cummins was next up with a looping header which Hamilton again did well to tip away.

It seemed inevitable they would score and typically St Johnstone found a way to produce another impressive result.

Hearts waning

The visitors simply didn't threaten a goal until the last seconds when Esmael Goncalves struck narrowly over. A late rally wasn't enough.

Sam Nicholson was sent off for Hearts in the final 10 minutes

That would have been very harsh on the home side.

It's another defeat and another game without a win which will frustrate their support, and that five-point deficit to fourth place looks ominous.

Advanced players just didn't get consistent service. They were too easily contained when they did.

Clearly, there are talented players in this Hearts squad but they seem to lack a degree of belief. It was lacklustre.

On the positive side, Hamilton did produce some terrific saves but there wasn't much to convince that this side are capable of a winning run.

What is concerning for Hearts is their win ratio which is very poor as they continue to slide. Four wins from 19 games since head coach Ian Cathro came in is far from impressive.

The evening got even worse when Nicholson was sent off for what appeared to be some form of dissent towards an official, with a suggestion he may have spat in the direction of the assistant referee.

Another night to forget.

Post-match reaction

St Johnstone Tommy Wright: "We were the dominant team and probably should have been up at half time. It was fully deserved.

"I can't speak highly enough of the players. There was a lot of character tonight coming on the back of what they came through on Saturday.

We were the dominant team - Wright

"To produce that on the night when it really mattered and open up that gap says a lot about my team.

"That would be something special (third place). I suppose if I'm saying that five points ahead of Hearts isn't finished maybe Rangers six ahead of us isn't finished either.

"That would really be some achievement but if you said to me now take fourth and walk away I would take it."

Hearts head coach Ian Cathro: "We needed to do more to be a bigger threat. I don't think this is a moment to focus on positives.

"We continue in a situation where we keep allowing people to doubt us through a poor run of results. What we need to do is collectively find a solution. The answer is inside the room.

"There's a hell of a lot things conspiring to come against us just now.

"I want to see the footage (of Nicholson's red card). I don't think there was any aggression directed in that. I take that quite clearly from how Sam describes the situation and from others players around it. That's something that needs looked at."