Heart of Midlothian

Image source, SNS

James Penrice is urging Hearts to use Sunday's victory over St Johnstone to kick on and climb the Premiership table.

The Edinburgh side's 2-1 victory moved them off the bottom of the table and into 10th spot before facing Hibs in the derby on 26 December.

"I think we needed it," the left-back said.

"It sets up a good few games now, so hopefully we can go on a wee run and climb the table.

"The fans have had a reason to be angry that it's not been good enough but I think today [Sunday] you've seen a team that were together, and I think everyone pulled in the right direction.

"I thought the boys were brilliant for the majority of the game.

"I want it to be a successful time, I said that before as well, I want to remember my time when I leave here, and hopefully we can go and put a wee run together now."

Hearts fans, we asked for your views on Sunday's 2-1 win over St Johnstone.

Here's what some of you had to say:

David: Much better performance which hopefully will give the players and fans a lift. Feel for James Penrice who has shone throughout the season but giving away three penalties (rightly or wrongly) in three games is something that has to be addressed. The January transfer window dealings are crucial for the rest of the season.

Chris: I see Neil Critchley thinks we were excellent, is he trying to convince us or him? I think today's game was an improvement but is miles away from "excellent". Cammy Devlin, however, was excellent and Penrice too. Hibs have a lot of talent in the forward areas and should come to Tynecastle confident of a win. We need a little bit of luck.

Kuptin: Any win is welcome just now. The young guys, Adam Forrester and James Wilson, are the least nervous. But Hearts are full of contradictions just now. Devlin is great but only passes the ball sideways. Penrice is obviously the best newcomer but gives away too many penalties. Lawrence Shankland is still good at everything except scoring. It's a hard watch.

Jim: Beating St. Johnstone isn't something normally to crow about but it's a start. Hibs will be tougher but it doesn't hide the fact that we are struggling to score, January is a chance to start the process of building the team, offload players who don't have the right attitude and maybe we can avoid relegation, my hopes are not high.

Anon: At present a win is greatly appreciated and listening on the radio I felt the crowd were behind the team. Let's hope his is the start of our climb away from the relegation zone especially as the noisy neighbours are at our place on Boxing Day.

Anon: A last we played for each other, we played as a team. Let's hope this is a start after a disastrous end in Europe.

John: I think Neil deserves the chance to turn things around as he still has the squad Steven Naismith wanted. I saw four players in the starting 11 who should be playing in the lower leagues never mind being at Hearts. Basic passing should be simple enough but some can't even do that.

Image source, SNS

• Blair Spittal has scored three goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hearts player has more.

• St. Johnstone have failed to win in their last four games in the Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 24 August 2024 to 6 October 2024, a run of six games.

• St. Johnstone have scored in each of their last three games in the Premiership, scoring four goals in that run.

• St. Johnstone have scored in their last three games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 6 games from 19 October 2024 to 23 November 2024.

Watch the best of the action from Tynecastle as Hearts move off the bottom to be replaced by St Johnstone.

(Available to UK users only)

Charlie Adam, sacked at the weekend by Fleetwood Town, could be a candidate for the Raith Rovers managerial vacancy along with Hearts assistant Liam Fox, Stenhousemuir boss Gary Naysmith, Kelty Hearts' Michael Tidser, plus out-of-work trio Craig Levein, Barry Robson, Kevin Thomson and Gordon Forrest. (The Courier), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Hearts fans must feeling a bit happier after moving off the bottom of the league.

Neil Critchley's side started with real intent, with full-backs James Penrice and Adam Forrester to the fore.

Hibs are up next on Boxing Day.

Share your thoughts on the 2-1 win., external

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "I thought we were excellent.

"The players had to show real character, having had a disappointing week, you can't hide behind that.

"Disappointing on Thursday, a big disappointment for the football club but we had to come here and show what we were about today and we played some really good football.

"I was really impressed with our temperament and how we approached the game. In the first half, I think we should have been more than a goal up.

"Some decisions go against you and you think, 'here we go again' and we have to show real strength of character and resilience and we got a fantastic second goal.

"And then there's obviously a little bit of fatigue and you can understand the situation, you know, the players probably hanging on.

"Even though they had possession, it was all in front of us. I don't think Craig Gordon had a save to make, really. So in my opinion, it was a fully deserved three points."

Image source, SNS

An eighth successive league win over St Johnstone lifted the mood at Tynecastle following the crushing disappointment of Thursday's Conference League exit.

Penrice grabbed his first goal for the club and the left-back has been a ray of light in a largely bleak season. On the day of his 26th birthday, he was up and down the flank in a whirlwind opening and did not know anything about the penalty he conceded.

Fellow full-back Forrester was good too, matching his colleague's energy in that dominant spell, and making a great headed clearance on his goal-line to prevent St Johnstone from finding a second leveller.

Penrice and Forrester had 17 passes into the final third each, only two shy of Shankland.

Cammy Devlin did the dirty stuff well in the middle of the park but Hearts will want more from their forwards in the forthcoming derby.

Image source, SNS

Hearts welcome back Musa Drammeh (ineligible) and Adam Forrester (suspended) after they missed the Conference League draw with Petrocub.

Craig Halkett is battling to shake off an injury that forced him off against the Moldovans while Beni Baningime could be involved, but Gerald Taylor (knee), Calem Nieuwenhof (hamstring), Stephen Kingsley (hamstring) and Frankie Kent (quad) are still out.

St Johnstone will be without Hearts loanee Lewis Neilson, who cannot play against his parent club. Barry Douglas is still out along with Uche Ikpeazu (knee), Cammy MacPherson (hip) and Sam McClelland (Achilles).

Image source, SNS

James Penrice is urging Hearts to put in big performances in their upcoming games against St Johnstone and Hibs to get fans back onside.

Neil Critchley's side crashed out of the Conference League on Thursday night following a 2-2 draw with Petrocub.

The Tynecastle club welcome St Johnstone on Sunday as they look to climb off the bottom of the table.

"Every game now is massive," the left-back said.

"The position we put ourselves in in the first half of the season has not been good enough. All we can do is correct the wrongs and put two big performances in at home. That's what we're looking to do."

"The performance have been good, it's just that final bit. On Thursday, I think we weren't really there in the first half. That final ball. Then we get ourselves back into the game but ultimately, the penalty is what's cost us and we don't go through."

"We were in a strong position to qualify and go through to the play-off and we've not done that, so they're entitled to feel angry.

"The fans have got a reason to shout. They want the club to do so well. They put their money into the club and they expect performances.

"They're not going to be happy. We're not happy. It's just the way football is."

• Hearts have won their last seven league meetings with St Johnstone since a 2-1 defeat in February 2022.

• St Johnstone have lost eight of their last nine away games against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, winning the other 1-0 in December 2019.

• Hearts have only kept one clean sheet in their last eight league games, but have also only failed to score in two of their last 12 in the Scottish Premiership.

• St Johnstone have only had one win in their last eight away league matches (D2 L5), beating Dundee 2-1 in October.

• Makenzie Kirk has scored in both of St Johnstone's last two league games; the last player aged 20 or younger to score in three successive Scottish Premiership appearances was Mika Biereth in November 2023.

Image source, SNS

Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland believes he and his team-mates "only have ourselves to blame" after they fell out of European competition while sitting bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

A win over Moldovan side Petrocub would have secured passage to the knockout rounds of the Conference League, but a dismal 2-2 draw saw Neil Critchley's side knocked out.

"We only have ourselves to blame," Shankland told TNT Sports. "They were solid defensively, they were hard to break down.

"They managed to hit us with a counter in the first half and get themselves ahead which again makes it difficult because they had 11 bodies behind the ball."

Tynecastle turned toxic as soon as Hearts went 1-0 down and the players struggled to get the fans onside for the remainder of the game.

"I thought the boys showed good character because it got a bit hostile out there from early doors in the game and we had to kind of stand up to it," Shankland added.

"We managed to get ourselves back into it and get ahead, and from that position, we should really go and win the game."

"I don't feel like the boys didn't try or work hard, it was just a lack of quality in the final third because we got in there enough."

Laurie Dunsire, Hearts TV lead commentator and co-host of the Scarves around the Funnel podcast, says Neil Critchley inherited a lot of problems but "might not get time to get to the transfer window" if the current malaise continues.

Listen to more reaction to Hearts' European exit on the BBC's Scottish football podcast

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

The draw against Petrocub felt - and sounded - like a defeat for those Hearts fans inside Tynecastle.

The chance to continue a European campaign beyond Christmas for the first time since 1989 was squandered and the 17,000 fans rightly vented their frustrations.

With the team rock bottom of the Premiership and looking utterly devoid of confidence, the heat is now very much on for improvements on the pitch.

Neil Critchley said after the elimination from Europe he knows this is a results business. He is right. Steven Naismith was shown the door for a poor run of form at the start of the campaign, and many will now be saying Critchley should follow him.

But the players shouldn't be spared blame. We already know there will be a major overhaul of the squad next summer. Many of the players nearing the end of their deals are showing little appetite or desire to continue their time at Hearts.

Adam Forrester, James Wilson and Macauley Tait have been drafted in recently, but these are talented young players who should be learning the game either in B team football or out on loan. Only then will will we know if they are ready to handle the expectation levels at Tynecastle.

The next few weeks are pivotal for Hearts' season. With three of the next four matches at home there is the perfect opportunity to erase the memory, as difficult as that will be, of what happened against Petrocub.

Come through these matches with enough points to steer away from the bottom of the table and only then can there be some positivity around the club.

Failure, though, will only ramp up the pressure further on the team and management.

We asked for your views on the 2-2 draw against Petrocub that consigned Hearts to a Conference League exit.

Here's what some of you said:

Malcolm: Again a very poor performance from Hearts, especially in the first half. No fight, no desire to win the game, and it looks to me that certain players have given up. Is Neil Critchley the man for the job? I'm still not convinced, if he can't motivate the team against a very poor side and poor quality? Big home games coming up for his future at Tynecastle.

Phil: Critchley failed to inspire during his time back at Blackpool and also did little at QPR. I feel for Hearts as I don't think the manager is able to be radical enough in his tactics to shake it up and buck their current trend.

Calum: I'm at the point where I was struggling to keep my laughter at bay. Pathetic is an understatement. Highly-paid professional footballers unable to beat a 200th-ranked European side that brought no fans - an absolute low point for the club.

William: As a member of FOH from its inception I was extremely underwhelmed by the appointment of Critchley given his record in his last two managerial positions. It does feel like a repeat of the woeful run that we had when Ian Cathro was in charge, so I feel a change is already required along with a clearout of very inconsistent players.

Keith: Just not good enough. Maybe a run in the Championship is not what we want but it could clear out the deadwood from top to bottom and start again with young, hungry players.

George: Competing in the SPFL and the European competitions, you need big quality squads and Hearts don't have either the quality or the quantity to do both.

Chris: Unacceptable that with a golden opportunity to secure latter-stage European football for the first time in 35 years and that's what's served up. Sitting bottom of the domestic league further compounds issues too. It's disaster after disaster for Hearts, the ones at the top need to accept responsibility for their mismanagement of the club and go.

A fuming Heart of Midlothian fan took out his frustrations on chairwoman Ann Budge, director of football Graeme Jones and chief executive Andrew McKinlay after the Jambos drew with Petrocub and exited Europe. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Friday's gossip.

Hearts fans, were you at Tynecastle to see your side draw with Petrocub and exit Europe, or were you following along from home?

Either way, we want your thoughts on the game. Have your say here., external

Image source, SNS

Although James Penrice gave away the penalty for Petrocub's second-half equaliser, the Hearts left-back impressed again.

He was the only player in maroon who looked to make things happen in attack in the first half, and received very little help from his teammates.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Head coach Neil Critchley said he was shocked by Sunday's performance at Rugby Park, where Hearts lost to a Kilmarnock side who played 90 minutes with 10 players, but this was more of the same against a team they were heavy favourites to beat.

Cammy Devlin inexplicably gave the ball away in the opening couple of minutes to set the tone and that nervousness spread across the pitch and into the stands.

Petrocub's first goal - Sergiu Platica poking home Vladimir Ambros' cross - turned nervousness into anger and any mistake for the rest of the opening 45 was met with whistles and groans.

Hearts' midfield was non-existent and their lack of pace meant they struggled to stretch the game, with only left-back Penrice taking the game to Petrocub.

Winger James Forrest was hooked at the interval for Blair Spittal, a change that gave the hosts some much-needed impetus.

Wilson found the bottom corner after Lawrence Shankland was tackled in the opposition box and, six minutes later, Spittal coolly headed back across goal to put Hearts in front.

However, Petrocub continued to pose a threat on the break despite their lack of possession and Victor Mudrak's penalty levelled the scores after Penrice's handball.

There is a notable lack of leaders in this Hearts side. No-one stood up and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck when needed - and the game fizzled out.

Scotland striker Shankland is a shadow of the player he was last season and, while Craig Gordon has been a magnificent servant, the goalkeeper came off his line unnecessarily for the first goal and his poor distribution only added to the unrest in the stands.

At best, Hearts have stood still under Critchley's leadership. A cynic would say they have gone backwards.

A win for Hearts would have kept them in European competition after Christmas for the first time in 35 years, a glimmer of hope in what has been an awful season to date, but Mudrac's spot-kick and TSC's victory over FC Noah snuffed that out.

If things are to turn around, Hearts need a seriously good January transfer window to plug the gaps in their unbalanced squad. Otherwise, it's difficult to see how this changes for the better.

Image source, SNS

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley tells BBC Scotland: "I'm just really down, because I knew the importance of this game for the football club. It's hugely disappointing - a tough one to take.

"We had a good chance to score - Kye Rowles from a corner, and then 30 seconds later we don't defend a counter-attack and we're chasing the game.

"At 2-1, the game's in our control and then we lacked the nous and experience on the pitch to see us through.

"We should have won the game, and we didn't. We have to accept the criticism that comes our way because of that. We didn't do enough.

"It's been very hectic and that doesn't change. We've got another important game coming up on Sunday. Internally we have a plan and I know, given time here, what we need to do to improve and how we need to do it.

"This is a results business. Managers understand the consequences if you keep losing games of football. We haven't lost tonight, it feels like a loss though. We have to go again in the league, keep trying to pick up points and if we do, that will give me the time to make the changes I think are required.

"The attitude wasn't a question tonight. The work ethic was there, our intensity and aggression to play the game was there. Since I've come in, the players have given their all. We competed well tonight, we just didn't produce the quality.

"It's going to require us to roll our sleeves up and fight. You've got to have the composure and quality to play as well."