Gordon the hero as Hearts beat St Mirren on penalty shootout to reach quarterfinal

Hearts have defeated St Mirren in a penalty shootout to reach the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup.

Craig Gordon was the hero in the shootout with the veteran goalkeeper saving the first two spot-kicks from the Saints.

The all Premiership game ended 1-1 in Paisley on Monday night.

Mika Mandron put the home side in front midway through the first half when he pounced to turn home the rebound after Craig Gordon saved from Mark O’Hara.

The Saints held on to that lead until the 85th minute when Calem Nieuwenhof equalised for the Jambos to take the game into extra-time.

They now take their place in the last-eight beside Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibernian, Dundee, Livingston, St Johnstone and Queen’s Park.

The first opportunity of the game fell to Toyosi Olusanya with just four minutes on the clock but he lifted his effort over the bar.

Elton Kabangu then came close for Hearts when he forced Zach Hemming into a good save with a low drive.

Olusanya had another good chance moments before Mandron gave Stephen Robinson’s men the lead.

The French forward was the first to react when O’Hara’s effort was initially kept out by Gordon and he tapped it into the net to make it 1-0.

After the break Blair Spittal came close as Hearts searched for an equaliser when he curled an ambitious effort just wide of the post.

Just as it looked as though St Mirren had done enough to win the game and take their place in the next round Nieuwenhof made it 1-1 with just five minutes remaining.

Elton Kabangu had a chance to win it for Hearts in the ninth minute of injury time when he rounded Hemming before trying to steer it in from an awkward angle but Caolan Boyd-Munch produced a last-ditch block to keep the score level and take it to extra-time.

There were no goals in the added 30 minutes meaning the game was decided by the dreaded penalty shootout.

Scotland goalkeeper Gordon rolled back the years by saving the first two St Mirren penalties to put Hearts in the driving seat.

Zach Hemming saved from Gerald Taylor to through the Saints a lifeline but James Penrice scored the final spot-kick to make it 4-2 in the shootout and book Hearts a place in the last-eight.