by Stuart Gillespie at Fir Park

Billy Mehmet seems to love big games. Whether it's title deciders or relegation dogfights, the striker always seems to produce the goods. And tonight at Fir Park was no different, as he fired St Mirren into their first Hampden cup final for 23 years - and just the second League Cup Final in their history.

But to single the striker out would be to do the other players involved against Hearts a disservice. Yes, it was Mehmet who grabbed the headlines with his majestic curling effort after 51 minutes, but everyone else was fantastic. The surprise deployment of a 3-5-2 formation worked wonders. Jack Ross was back to his marauding best, David Barron stuck to his task on the left, the back three did their job, Hugh Murray and Steven Thomson won the battle in midfield and Michael Higdon won just about everything that came in his general direction. By comparison, Paul Gallacher had very little to do.

Saints were up for this right from the off, while Hearts, for the most part, just didn't seem to have any fight. Manager Jim Jefferies' was critical of the Fir Park pitch afterwards and he had a point - the surface was more reminiscent of Marty Crane's chair from "Frasier" than a surface for a semi-final - but he also has to accept his side were outplayed, outfought and out battled. It was the second time Saints had knocked one of his side's out of this season's Co-operative Insurance Cup, having also seen off Kilmarnock earlier in the competition.

No one can possibly claim the Buddies don't deserve their place in the final. It was by far and away the best Saints performance since last season's relegation battle at Falkirk. The support played their part, backing their heroes from first to last, and if they see a similar display from their heroes at Hampden in March they'd fancy their chances against Real Madrid, but instead they'll have to make do with St Johnstone or Rangers.

For the first time all season, Saints boss Gus MacPherson changed from his trusty back four, with Lee Mair, John Potter and Chris Innes all starting. The midfield five saw Jack Ross and David Barron in the wingback slots and Hugh Murray, Steven Thomson and Andy Dorman in the middle. Steven Robb and Garry Brady lost their places in the midfield while Billy Mehmet and Michael Higdon started again up front. There was no place in the squad for loan signings Graham Carey or Rory Loy. Hearts welcomed back Andrew Driver and Lee Wallace, with Gordon Smith partnering Christian Nade up top. Both teams resorted to a 1-11 line-up rather than squad numbers, although the only Saints players not wearing their usual numbers were David Barron, Chris Innes and Craig Dargo.

It was Saints who carved out the first real chance of the game when Ross crossed for Higdon after eight minutes, but the striker's long range header failed to cause Marian Kello any real problems. The Hearts keeper had to scramble soon after when Lee Mair sent a header towards goal from Andy Dorman's corner, but it drifted wide. Higdon then had another chance when the ball bounced kindly for him, but he took too long and Kello was able to gather it up.

It was mainly Saints who were attacking and they nearly managed the opener from an unlikely source, a Jack Ross left footed thunderbolt going just wide when it cannoned off Marius Zalukas. Before the corner could be taken, Hearts had to reshuffle their defence due to an injury to Ismael Bouzid, who was replaced by Dawid Kucharski. Although the corner came to nothing, Saints were soon on the attack again, Dorman firing into the side netting after a fine run.

It took nearly half an hour for Hearts to create a decent chance and it nearly resulted in the opening goal, Nade flicking on a Driver corner only for Smith to volley wide. The only other action of the first half came just before the break when Ian Black picked up a booking. Despite the lack of chances, it had been a reasonably entertaining first half, with both sides pretty much cancelling each other out.

Half-Time: Hearts 0-0 St Mirren

Dorman and Mehmet created the first Saints chance of the second half, the former playing the latter through to shoot just wide. From the goal kick, Kello duffed it in Higdon's general direction, although the Hearts defence did enough to allow their keeper to recover the situation. However, the mistake had given Saints the impetus and while there were screams for a free-kick after Black clobbered Barron, Ross played the ball forward, Higdon left it and Mehmet brilliantly curled an effort out of Kello's reach from the edge of the box into the back of the net, sparking delirium in the stand behind the goal.

There could be few complaints about Saints taking the lead and Mehmet tried to double it almost immediately, although his low daisy cutter was straight at Kello. Jambos boss Jim Jefferies then rather wisely replaced Black, who was looking almost certain to pick up a red card, with Suso Santana. Before he'd had any real impact, Dorman should have put the game beyond doubt. After Hearts failed to make a corner count, Mehmet flicked the ball through for the midfielder at the half way line and he burst forward, before shooting just inside the box, only for Kello to stand up and keep it out.

Not for the first time, Mehmet was revelling in the big game atmosphere and with some Messi style trickery he found himself the space to fire in a cross that was knocked behind for a corner, which came to nothing. Sadly, the Saints defenders at the other end of the park tried to follow suit by passing the ball out of defence when a big blooter out of the ground would have done. The inevitable happened and Saints lost possession, but fortunately Nade blasted wide. Higdon's night came to an end soon after when he left the field to a standing ovation, Craig Dargo took his place. There was another scare straight away, this time Driver cracking the post.

Hearts were finally beginning to threaten and Nade passed up a wonderful chance to equalise after a fine run by Driver, but the Frenchman put the cut back past the post. Ross then had another go at putting himself on the scoresheet with his left peg, but dragged it wide. Hearts then made their final change of the night, putting Gary Glen on for Smith, before the Saints fans stood to acclaim Dorman, who was being replaced by Stephen O'Donnell.

As three minutes of injury time began, Eggert Jonsson tried his luck with a shot from the edge of the box that had almost certainly clipped a Saints player, but referee Charlie Richmond indicated a goal kick. Some more time was used up when Mehmet and Nade were both booked for an off the ball incident. This led to another agonising minute of injury time before Mr Richmond finally blew for time, sparking scenes of joy on and off the park.

The tannoy system blared out Journey's classic "Don't Stop Believin'" and that's exactly what Saints fans will do when it comes to their hopes of seeing captain John Potter lifting the Co-operative Insurance Cup at Hampden on March 21.

Full-Time: Hearts 0-1 St Mirren

Hearts: Kello, Thomson, Zaliukas, Bouzid (Kucharski 25), Wallace, Jonsson, Smith (Glen 83), Black (Santana 56), Stewart, Driver, Nade.
Subs Not Used: Mulrooney, Ridgers.

St Mirren: Gallacher, Ross, Innes, Mair, Barron, Potter, Murray, Dorman (O'Donnell 89), Thomson, Mehmet, Higdon (Dargo 75).
Subs Not Used: Robb, Brady, Howard.

Referee: Charlie Richmond.

Star Saint: Everyone, but as I have to pick someone it has to be Billy Mehmet for his fantastic goal and piece of trickery.

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