HEARTS' manager Sandy Clark, who has a goal-scoring problem, will chat

with former Celtic striker Tommy Coyne this afternoon.

John Robertson's single goal against St Johnstone on Saturday was only

their second in five games, and Hearts have failed to find the net more

than twice in any of their 15 games this season.

And although Clark has also spoken to former Rangers striker Dave

Mitchell, Coyne remains the main target after having made the decision

to return to Scotland from Tranmere following the death of his wife.

In fairness to the players who were given the responsibility against

the Perth team at rain-soaked Tynecastle, they can claim with

justification that luck deserted them in the closing half hour.

For it was only after Scott Leitch collected his second booking in 60

minutes, that Hearts began to prise open the St Johnstone defence.

Ian Ferguson rattled the bar with a header and Alan Johnston saw a

shot deflected on to a post and then watched in disbelief as the ball

cannoned off the inside of the upright and roll along the line to keeper

Andy Rhodes.

There was no excuse for John Robertson, however, in 63 minutes, when

he directed his penalty far too close to Rhodes, and the big keeper made

up for some hairy attempts to deal with cross balls with the save.

He was at fault eight minutes later when Robertson collected his sixth

goal of the season, with a typical predator's goal from close in, after

Rhodes had dropped one of many crosses looped in by 18-year-old Gary

Locke.

The Perth team equalised with just five minutes left, when referee

Bill Young misread Alan McLaren's innocent-looking tackle on substitute

Kevin McGowne, rewarding his theatrical expertise with a penalty that

Paul Wright stuck away.

The final 30 minutes saved a game which until then had failed to

ignite. The treacherous ground conditions, driving rain, and general

incompetence of the match official conspired to defeat the players for

an hour.

The Clarkston referee appeared to make little allowance for the

slippery surface that mitigated against tidy, well-time tackles.

Although Leitch's second foul merited a caution, his first, on Wright,

looked weather assisted.

The midfield player's departure galvanised the Edinburgh team and the

introduction of Johnston for Justin Fashanu in 56 minutes, also helped

their cause.

A wonderfully gifted player, with graceful movement and a touch of

pace, the 19-year-old is worth the admission money on his own.

Scotland's Under-21 team must be capable of defeating Italy handsomely

this week, if he can be left behind.

St Johnstone, although less effective than Hearts, had their moment

but Nicky Walker stood up well to their best work, particularly an

agile, one-handed save from Harry Curran, two minutes before the

controversial penalty.

McGowne's glide to the ground as he brushed with McLaren was

exemplary. Eight out of 10 for artistic impression. And the broad smile

he wore as he rose, told an illuminating truth.