HARRY COCHRANE does not have a peg in the Hearts dressing room yet.

However, John Souttar has no doubt the precocious playmaker does possess the quality and temperament to thrive in the cauldron of the Edinburgh derby.

Cochrane, 16, climbed from the bench at half-time on Saturday to illuminate a dire encounter against St Johnstone. He teed up the only goal of the game, albeit inadvertently, for Kyle Lafferty, he then struck the post with the last kick of the game and, despite only being involved for 45 minutes, he claimed the man of the match award.

His personality is every bit as impressive as his technique. Cochrane, the first SFA Performance School pupil to ever start a Premiership match, roars at team-mates; demands the ball; dictates play.

This talented teenager has now given manager Craig Levein a major headache ahead of tomorrow evening’s visit to face Hibernian. Ordinarily, Easter Road is no place to throw in the kids. But this is no ordinary kid.

“Harry is an unbelievable player on the ball. He is 16 years old but has come into the side and nothing fazes him,” lauded Souttar. “I think he can go wherever he wants to go in the game. He’s that good. Everybody can see that he’s not scared to put a foot in either. He can do the dirty side of the game.

“I’m sure, if he was to play, he would handle the Edinburgh derby no bother - and sometimes it is even better when you are younger. You play without pressure and you don’t really know the other, painful, side of the game.

“I’ve been there myself, when you are just enjoying your game, oblivious to everything else. It’s probably a good thing.”

Asked what kind of character Cochrane is in the dressing room at their Riccarton training base, Souttar smiled: “I don’t know…he’s still upstairs with the young lads. I think I was 17 before I got into the Dundee United dressing room, so maybe Harry will get a peg next year!”

Souttar knows the rollercoaster Cochrane is experiencing. After all, it was not long ago that he was the 16-year-old prodigy making his debut for Dundee United amid a chorus of fanfare.

“When you first break into the side, that’s the easy part of it,” Souttar recalled of his own experience. “Everyone is looking at the good parts of your game and being positive. It’s after a while and a few games in the first-team when some challenges can come. But I’m sure Harry has the mentality to deal with that.”

Cochrane’s introduction at the interval was a laudably decisive move from Levein and proved merciful for those watching. He immediately started getting his foot on the ball, driving forward and spraying passes. Prior to his arrivals, the only action of note during a dreadful first period at BT Murrayfield saw Isma surge down the right wing before slipping a neat pass to Jamie Walker, however the recently rejuvenated forward saw his shot from a tight angle saved by Alan Mannus.

Hearts almost claimed the lead after the break went Walker sent Isma through on goal, but his tame drive nestled in the arms of Mannus.

David Wotherspoon warmed the palms of Jon McLaughlin in a rare moment of offensive endeavour by the Saints. They knocked the ball about nicely at times on Saturday but were utterly impotent.

Cochrane’s fortitude led to the opener, with the midfielder picking up a loose ball and fizzing a low shot at goal from all of 40 yards. The dive fell kindly to Kyle Lafferty in the box and his sharp snap-shot found the net via a deflection off Joe Shaughnessy.

With St Johnstone streaming forward in search of a leveller in injury time, Cochrane scampered clean through on goal on the break but his low shot clattered the base of the post. Nevertheless, Hearts can be satisfied with an attritional triumph which sets them up nicely for their trip to Easter Road as the seek to make amends for last season’s meek 3-1 defeat in the Scottish Cup.

“There’s definitely a desire to put a few things right,” said Souttar. “There has been a big changeover from the side last season, it’s a different group and it would be brilliant for the fans and the club to get a win on Tuesday.”

St Johnstone, meanwhile, have lost three games on the bounce without finding the net. They host Ross County tomorrow night, desperately hoping for a chance of fortune in front of goal.

"It's just that lack of quality in the final third,” rued Wotherspoon. “We got ourselves in good positions, but it was just that final ball and finish that was lacking. It's just a bad time at the moment and I am sure our luck will change.”

Hearts (4-4-2): McLaughlin; Brandon, Souttar, Berra, M Smith; Callachan, Walker, Buaben (Cochrane 45), Milinkovic (Stockton 81); Lafferty, Isma (Henderson 69). Subs not used: Hamilton, Nowak, Grzelak, Moore.

St Johnstone (4-4-2): Mannus; Easton, Gordon, Shaughnessy, Comrie; Wotherspoon (Alston 77), Craig, Millar (Johnstone 81), Scougall; O’Halloran, MacLean (Cummins 67). Subs not used: Tanser, Clark, Paton, Gilchrist.

Ref: Nick Walsh

Att: 18,534