Scottish League Cup Final
17th March 2013
Hampden Park, Glasgow

St. Mirren 3-2 Hearts

Stevenson 10
GONCALVES 37
THOMPSON 46
NEWTON 66
Stevenson 85

ATT: 44,036

Referee: Craig Thomson

• Saints lift the League Cup for the first time, following one of the all time classic matches at Hampden Park on a cold spring day.
• Despite Saints beating Hearts twice that season, including only a few weeks beforehand, they were not favourites with the Bookies or parts of the media, however in Renfrewshire there was little doubt Danny Lennon would return to Paisley with the trophy, following the standard of performance against Celtic in the semi-final.
• Backed by close to 20,000 Saints fans, the players started slowly however, and conceded an early goal to Ryan Stevenson. For the next 20 minutes, Saints clung on before Danny Lennon made a tactical change and dropped Paul McGowan back to a deeper midfield role to become primary play-maker.
• For the next half or so, Saints blew Hearts away with the type of fast flowing and thrilling football that Celtic could not hanadle in the semi finals. Almost immediately after the tactical switch, Esmael Goncalves continued his blistering start to life in Paisley with the equaliser following a move that ripped Hearts apart.
• Barely a minute into the second half, Steven Thompson put Saints ahead following another precise move, before Conor Newton smashed home a third after he and Goncalves beat Hearts entire defence with a lightening exchange of passes.
• Hearts pulled back a late goal and flung everything at Saints after this, however some stout defending paid off, and Saints prevailed in the competition for the first time.