Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken hailed his players’ never-say-die attitude after watching them dig deep into their reserves for the second time this week to earn a hard-fought win over St Johnstone.

The Jambos came through 120 gruelling minutes – plus penalties – against Rapid Vienna on Wednesday evening to book their place in the Europa Conference League group stage, and were put through the mill once more against the Saints.

Teenager James Wilson broke the deadlock on nine minutes, after capitalising on slack passing out from the back from the visitors, before an own goal from Saints debutant Enes Alic put the hosts on easy street before the interval.

Ruari Paton reduced the deficit shortly after the restart, but despite piling on the pressure, Simo Valakari’s men were unable to penetrate a stubborn Hearts rearguard as the hosts recorded their second Premiership victory of the new season.

‘Good first half, where we have to score more goals,’ he said. ‘And then after their goal, a little bit too much panic and the quality was gone with a lot of movement. Then we’re just fighting to get the result.

‘But I have to say I’m still proud of the players, what they did, because you played 120 minutes and had only two days of rest.

Enes Alic puts through his own net to give Hearts a 2-0 lead at home to St Johnstone

Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken praised the spirit of his Hearts side as they won 2-1

‘It’s not possible to fully recuperate or recover and a lot of people forget this, how hard it is.

‘And as long as it’s all good, you feel the good energy. But when you get a setback in the game, then it makes it difficult. Then you feel the fatigue physically, but especially emotionally.

‘So happy to see that they kept together and that they fought together, because this is an important quality.

‘This is also a good learning process for the next weeks or coming weeks, when you have two games a week, that you feel how such a game will go and then cope with it.’

Next up for Wrancken – who confirmed midfielder Tom Renaud will be on the sidelines for several months rather than weeks after injuring his ankle in Vienna – is a first Edinburgh derby at Easter Road on Thursday evening.

‘I’m looking forward to the derby,’ he said. ‘It’s always these special games with this extra weight, especially you want to win those for the fans.

‘We know that we have to be spot on with full energy again on Thursday and combine the energy and the quality to get a good result there.’

St Johnstone manager Valakari was delighted with several aspects of his side’s display, but admitted they need to be more clinical if they are to turn positive performances into results.

James Wilson celebrates his early opener at Tynecastle as Hearts made it six unbeaten

‘We gave ourselves a mountain to climb by conceding two goals,’ said the Finn.

‘Yes, we’re disappointed with the result but I’m not disappointed with the application and desire – or the football we played.

‘If you create as many chances in an environment like this as we did, you need to take them. There’s no other way to put it.

‘We either play or we die, and we need to be good with that.

‘That’s how we will survive.’