MATCH PREVIEW: HEARTS VS SAINTS

And now the end is near, and so we face the final curtain.. We have come full circle. St. Johnstone will finish the 2015/16 season at Tynecastle, the stadium where it all began.

At the beginning of August, Saints started their Premiership campaign with a trip into the unknown. Hearts had just been promoted, unfurling the Championship flag shortly before kick-off. Neither team knew what to expect from the opening-day encounter. Nonetheless, both had high hopes for the season ahead. St. Johnstone were aiming to consolidate their status as a top-six side, whilst Heart of Midlothian desired a return to the upper reaches of the league.

It was a whirlwind match. Breathless and entertaining. Unfortunately for Saints, their Edinburgh opponents emerged victorious in a 4-3 thriller. These early matches rarely provide an accurate insight into the final league placings. Nine months later, however, it isn't too surprising to see that St. Johnstone and Hearts are perched side by side. Robbie Neilson's men have had a triumphant return to the top flight, finishing 3rd and guaranteeing European football next season. Saints may have missed out on a fifth consecutive European adventure, but we have defied the odds by maintaining our status as the 4th best team in the country.

A 4th-place finish is now a certainty. Following our fantastic midweek victory against Celtic, we sit five points above Motherwell with only one match remaining. On Wednesday night, Saints put a dampener on the Champions' title party. Tommy Wright's team were the better side in a hard-fought first half, but Leigh Griffiths eventually opened the scoring in the early stages of the second period. It was an impressive team move which resulted in a typically agile Griffiths scoring his 40th goal of the season. That one-goal advantage didn't last long. Steven MacLean took full advantage of a Stefan Johansen error before expertly chipping the ball over the advancing Logan Bailly. The St. Johnstone players were beginning to tire. Celtic gradually took control of the game, but Saints' off-the-ball efforts more than made up for their lack of possession. As we approached the latter stages, the home supporters may well have been satisfied with the prospect of a draw. The players, though, wanted to reward the fans by going one step further. A Joe Shaughnessy cross was met by the head of Efe Ambrose, diverting the ball from his own keeper's grasp, before landing at the feet of Graham Cummins. 'Zippy' made no mistake, scoring his first Saints goal since the end of October.

It was a brilliant performance and victory, capping off another remarkable season in fine style. Tomorrow afternoon (12.30pm kick-off), with nothing but pride to play for, St. Johnstone aim to end their league campaign with a sixth consecutive win. It will be a party atmosphere at Tynecastle.

This current season has been unpredictable, somewhat inconsistent, occasionally disheartening, but ultimately uplifting. We have witnessed myriad highs and lows: the Europa League defeat against Alashkert and an incredible run of form which included a 4-1 win against Hamilton, a 3-1 cup victory against Rangers and a 5-1 triumph at Aberdeen. Following that sensational unbeaten run, St. Johnstone were (outwith Celtic) the top-scoring team in the Scottish Premiership. However, when you support a team like Saints, a wee bit of suffering is always a likelihood! St. Johnstone struggled from December onwards, embarking upon a dismal run of nine matches without a win – including a 2-1 League Cup semi-final defeat against Hibs – which soon became one win in thirteen matches.. Our top-six aspirations were suddenly in a state of jeopardy. Our hard work could be undone.

But it wasn't. As has so often proved to be the case, Tommy Wright and his squad have shown unbelievable character to turn things around yet again. Following recent 3-0 wins against Aberdeen and Hearts, in addition to the midweek victory against Celtic, Saints have silenced their doubters. Tommy Wright has hinted that he may be given an increased transfer budget during the close-season. Work is already being carried out on the pitch and Tommy is already in discussions with a number of signing targets. Indeed, the pre-contract signings of Michael Coulson and Keith Watson have already been announced. As supporters of St. Johnstone, we can dare to dream that another memorable season awaits us.

Ahead of tomorrow's final league match (v Hearts), there are no fresh injury concerns. Chris Millar, Murray Davidson, Craig Thomson and Dave Mackay will miss out due to injury.

Could we possibly make it 'five wins out of five' from the post-split fixtures? At the end of another wonderful campaign, give the players a well-deserved send-off tomorrow afternoon!

Come on ye Saints!

Match Preview by Ollie Wale

There are a LIMITED number of away supporter tickets on sale from Tynecastle Stadium tomorrow, so please arrive early if you intend to purchase them. Prices are as follows:

UPPER Adult £24, Over 65/FTE £18, Under 18 £14, Under 12 £5

LOWER Adult £18, Over 65/FTE £13, Under 18 £10, Under 12 £5