Source: PA
Stevenson relieved to stop the rot
Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson concedes the Tynecastle outfit had been feeling the pressure of trying to recover from a mini-slump in form after they secured a dramatic late 3-2 win over St Mirren.
Jim Jefferies' side retained their 12-point lead over Dundee United in third place of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League as they twice came from behind to take all the spoils against the Buddies.
In an abject first-half performance, Hearts trailed to Michael Higdon's 15th-minute header although the damage could have been greater. Some stern half-time words from Jefferies had the desired affect as Rudi Skacel notched a clinical equaliser 10 minutes after the restart.
Higdon restored the visitors' slim lead in the 68th minute but substitute Stevenson levelled with eight minutes left before Skacel claimed the winner in injury-time. After a recent three-game winless run that included losses to Kilmarnock and Dundee United, Stevenson admits the players were anxious to get back to winning ways ahead of the April 3 derby at Hibs.
He said: "The last three or four games have been difficult. We had not been playing as well as we had been and then we were beaten by Kilmarnock, but we knew it was coming. We went to Dundee United and it was a tight game and we lost a goal from a set-piece.
"It's always hard because you read that they have a great chance of catching us, which they have because they're a good team. Between that and Kilmarnock there was maybe a little bit of pressure but we're playing for Hearts, it's a big club and you have to deal with that."
