Aaron McNeiff scored a purpose and assisted Hearts within the Scottish Cup semi-final with a 4-2 victory over St Mirren.
McNeiff put the hosts forward inside seconds of coming off the bench after St Mirren fell two targets behind. He then despatched Ellis Sims in fourth.
Hearts stormed into the lead with targets from Benny Banningemi and Peter Haring earlier than Eamonn Brophy halved the Saints’ deficit earlier than the break.
Saints striker Connor Ronan then scored an excellent purpose from distance earlier than Hearts completed off sturdy to e-book a return to Hampden.
Hearts’ Ellis Sims celebrates by making it 4-2
Hearts have been with out six first-team gamers after 5 – together with John Sutter – have been injured in final weekend’s draw with Dundee United.
There was extra angst within the opening minutes of this match after defender Craig Halkett wanted his head again after being hit within the head with Brophy.
Goalkeepers have been known as into motion early on, as Scotland saved top-seeded Craig Gordon from Brophy earlier than Jack Alnwick parried Barry MacKay’s stinging shot.
Hearts then opened the scoring within the sixteenth minute by Baningime. Sims quarreled with goalkeeper Alnwick six yards from McKay’s cross and the ball fell gently to Banningim, who fired in from shut vary.
The second arrived half an hour later after a sweeping transfer culminating in Hering netting.
Liam Boyce sprayed the ball broad to Ben Woodburn and the first-time loaned Liverpool striker’s go was handed by Haring from 10 yards.
St Mirren pulled one again six minutes later when Richard Tate’s cross crossed brilliantly into the highest nook of Brophy from contained in the six-yard space.
There was no lower within the stage of leisure after the break. Saints Alnwick goalkeeper was known as in to fend off efforts by Nathaniel Atkinson and Woodburn earlier than Gordon hit Greg Keelty’s header.
Then the Saints equalized within the 62nd minute with an excellent striker from Ronan.
Saint Mirren’s Conor Ronan celebrates along with his teammates after profitable 2-2
The Irish picked up Boyce’s weak clearance from a nook and arrowed with unstoppable drive into the highest nook from 30 yards. Gordon Hearts Keeper did not even transfer for the ball.
The Saints’ tails have been up but it surely was Hearts who hit subsequent within the 67th minute.
Atkinson handed Jordan Jones into the sideline and after slicing a low cross on the entrance submit Makiniv, inside seconds of approaching, fired a shot again into the web from shut vary.
Hearts continued to press and Sims added the fourth, lastly quelling St Mirren’s hopes within the eighty fifth minute with an excellent end on the entrance submit from McNeiff’s cross.
