Hearts demolished St Mirren 5‑0 at Tynecastle on Saturday, handing the Jambos their biggest home win in the Scottish Premiership since April 2023 and keeping them firmly in the top‑three chase. Laurent Mendy opened the scoring in the 20th minute, followed by two penalties from Calvin Miller before the half‑time break. Claudio Braga and Josh McPake added the final two goals, giving Wouter Vrancken’s side a comfortable cushion ahead of their upcoming Conference League opener against Nordsjaelland.
The match started brightly for Hearts, with Harry Milne, Calvin Miller and McPake threatening from the outset. St Mirren, however, struggled to find rhythm and were caught early when Mendy’s header was rebounded into the path of the former Forest Green midfielder, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jacob Chapman. A minute later, a free‑kick from Miller was mis‑directed, allowing Mendy to score again, before McPake’s penalty in the 32nd minute extended the lead. St Mirren’s manager Craig McLeish made a triple change at half‑time, but the visitors continued to falter, conceding a third penalty to Miller in the 50th minute after Liam Donnelly was tripped in the box.
Miller’s second spot‑kick was followed by a well‑placed pass that set up Braga’s goal, and McPake finished the scoring spree with a late strike from eight yards in the 80th minute. Hearts’ dominance was evident from the first whistle, with the team rarely looking in danger and maintaining control throughout the game.
Vrancken praised his players’ progress, noting that the team has been working on a positive, proactive style of football since the summer. He highlighted the importance of scoring and enjoying the game, saying that the players “feel comfortable on the ball” and that the result gives the squad confidence for the run of fixtures ahead. McLeish, meanwhile, admitted that St Mirren’s errors, including two avoidable penalties and the loss of key player Niko Agrafiotis in the warm‑up, contributed to the defeat. He emphasized the need for the team to take responsibility and improve in future matches.
With the win, Hearts remain among the leaders of the league and are now the top scorers in the Premiership. The club will look to carry this momentum into their Conference League match against Nordsjaelland, while St Mirren will need to regroup after a fourth consecutive loss.