Hearts booked safe passage to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup this evening, defeating St. Mirren 4-2 in an epic cup tie at the SMiSA Stadium in Paisley.
Mikael Mandron's first half strike had the hosts on-course for the quarter-finals, before the returning Calem Nieuwenhof struck late to force the game to extra time.
After no goals in the extra time, James Penrice struck the winning penalty after Craig Gordon thwarted two St. Mirren spot kicks.
Neil Critchley made one change to the side that demolished Dundee 6-0 last time out as Alan Forrest replaced Musa Drammeh on the right wing.
St. Mirren threatened first after four minutes when Toyosi Olusanya latched onto a long ball in behind the Jambos' rearguard; with the forward sending a lofted effort over the bar.
Determined pressing from Cammy Devlin saw Hearts win the ball in the middle of the park after 15 minutes, sparking a trademark dash towards goal from Elton Kabangu. The Belgian went for it with a ferocious shot from the edge of the box that forced Buddies 'keeper Zach Hemming into a save around the post.
Saints were in the ascendancy after that, with Stephen Robinson's side giving Hearts a series of scares prior to the opening goal.
Olusanya saw his drive across goal to Mikael Mandron beaten away by Jamie McCart before Mandron himself saw an effort clawed over the bar by Craig Gordon from a tight angle.
Hearts were 1-0 down after 21 minutes. Mark O'Hara hammered an effort towards goal, with Mandron pouncing on the rebound from Gordon's save - the Frenchman tapping home from close range.
A dour display for the remainder of the opening 45 followed, with St. Mirren digging in and Hearts unable to prise open the low block.
Alan Forrest's half-volley on 38 minutes, over the crossbar following Adam Forrester's cross, summarised Hearts' first half fortunes as the Jambos huffed and puffed in the search for a response.
HT: St. Mirren 1-0 Heart of Midlothian
Hearts had 45 minutes to save their Scottish Cup campaign, and it was another nervy start as Toyosi Olusanya cut inside and ripped a quick strike over the bar as the Buddies fired a warning shot across the bow.
Blair Spittal picked up the ball in a fine position on the edge of the box as Hearts went again, sending a curling effort towards Hemming which veered narrowly over the bar.
Lawrence Shankland was up next, and despite some nice close control under pressure, his snapshot at goal was wide as the game entered the closing stages.
The Jambos sailed close to the edge in the final ten minutes as Gordon did well to get down and tip a powerful daisy-cutter from Declan John around the post.
The casual observer may have imagined Hearts dead and buried, but the storyline took a twist with just minutes left in regular time.
Calem Nieuwenhof, making his first appearance since a hamstring injury last March, picked up James Wilson's square ball. Spinning in place, he swept the ball low and true into the bottom corner.
Elton Kabangu had a chance to win it deep into added time, but a clearance off the line took the game to extra time.
Both sides went close in extra time, with no goals to report, with the match to be decided from the spot.
Hearts scored four, St. Mirren scored two, Gordon saved two, and Penrice struck one perfect penalty to set up a quarter-final meeting with Dundee at Tynecastle.
St Mirren: Hemming, Alebiosu (Bwomono 69'), Taylor, O’Hara (Kiltie 91'), Mandron (Scott 109'), Gogic, Boyd-Munce (Smyth 91'), Olusanya (Mooney 90+1'), Fraser, John, Phillips (Kenny 109')
Subs: Urminsky, Bwonono, Kenny, Smyth, Kiltie, Scott, Mooney, Oseni
Hearts: Gordon, Baningime, Shankland (Grant 105'), Devlin (Wilson 62'), Spittal (Nieuwenhof 83'), Forrest (Kartum 62'), Kabangu (Vargas 105'), Neilson (Steinwender 51'), Penrice, McCart, Forrester (Taylor 83')
Subs: Clark, Grant, Nieuwenhof, Steinwender, Wilson, Kartum, Vargas, Taylor
Attendance: 4,611
