St Mirren: Danny Lennon & Steven Thompson recall 2013 cup win

It was so big, that both Lennon and Thompson admitted the Buddies were “too wrapped up in the occasion” in the opening 20 minutes – to the degree they were “very lucky” to only be behind to Ryan Stevenson’s deflected-goal in the 10th minute.

A “tactical tweak” from the touchline helped them get a foothold in the game, and the aforementioned Goncalves scored a “fantastic team goal” to level things before the break.

“After that, when we got them in at half-time, we just spoke about having to play,” Lennon recalled.

“It’s the only opportunity that some of us might have, to play in a cup final and having gradually got ourselves back into the game, we couldn’t have started the second half any better.”

Thompson – who Lennon labelled “an absolutely fantastic penalty-box striker” – peeled off the shoulder to strike what would prove to be his favourite goal in a stellar career.

“I can’t really remember the 10 seconds after the ball hit the net,” the goalscorer said.

“I remember making a really good connection with the ball and seeing it fly high into the roof of the net and then after that it was just 10 seconds of absolute madness.

“That just flipped the whole script, really.”

Connor Newton capped off a cracking move with a thunderous strike to send St Mirren well on their way to glory and Lennon didn’t miss the chance to savour the special occasion.

“I just remember turning round and taking that moment in, watching the St Mirren fans rather than what was happening,” Lennon said of the “fantastic” third goal.

“That lives long in my memory, that moment,” he added.

“At that stage, there’s still a long way to go, 25 minutes or so and it was at that stage, you think ‘do you stick, do you twist, do you do anything?’

“We really had the momentum at that stage, but when you’re holding on to something, in a cup final, you tend to get a little bit deeper and give up a little bit more territory.

“Hearts had nothing to lose at that stage and threw everything at us – including Stevenson’s second in the 86th-minute.

“But, we handled it well and fortunately for us, came through and managed to bring that big cup home.”