Hearts 0-1 St Mirren

After an eventful first half, with visiting keeper Tony Bullock denying Hearts, Saints grew in confidence to secure their third SPL win.

Hearts could not beat Bullock after the break and were shocked when, with just seven minutes left, Stewart Kean scored for the Buddies.

Craig Gordon failed to hold a Craig Molloy drive and Kean was on hand to drill the ball into the net.

Hearts winger Neil McCann had returned to the starting line-up.

The Scotland international had not played since being a red card in the Champions League qualifying defeat by AEK Athens in August.

Hearts striker Roman Bednar also returned after making his move to Tynecastle permanent last week.

St Mirren goalkeeper Chris Smith was dropped to the bench with Tony Bullock making his first start of the season.

The Edinburgh club were looking to keep up the pressure on league leaders Celtic, who won earlier in the day at Aberdeen.

Hearts had to wait 12 minutes for their first chance which Bullock saved brilliantly.

McCann's left-wing cross was headed on by Roman Bednar and the ball fell for an unmarked Saulius Mikoliunas but his shot from eight yards was blocked by the alert goalkeeper.

The busy Bullock produced another top-class save from the resulting Paul Hartley corner when he tipped over Steven Pressley's header from a similar range.

The home side were outraged when Mikoliunas appeared to be brought down by two defenders on the edge of the Saints box - but the Lithuanian was shown a yellow card by Dougie McDonald.

Hugh Murray and Pinilla shot well over from long range at either end and Saints almost took the lead midway through the second half.

Sutton headed inches wide of the far post after doing well to get on the end of Lappin's left-wing cross.

But it was to be Saints day when Gordon couldn't hold on to Molloy's shot and the ball fell kindly into the path of Kean who made no mistake.

However, despite frantic late efforts from Hearts, Gus MacPherson's team held on for their first win against at Tynecastle since 1988/89.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Berra, Fyssas, Mikoliunas (Beslija 84), Hartley, Brellier, McCann (Velicka 72), Mole (Pinilla 59), Bednar. Subs Not Used: Banks, Wallace, Karipidis, Zaliukas.

Booked: Mikoliunas.

St Mirren: Bullock, van Zanten, McGowne, Millen, Broadfoot, Brady (Brittain 67), Potter (Molloy 45), Murray, Lappin, Sutton, Kean (Mehmet 86). Subs Not Used: Smith, Corcoran, McCay, McKenna.

Booked: van Zanten, Murray, Broadfoot, Mehmet.

Goals: Kean 82.

Att: 16,823

Ref: D McDonald

Taken from the BBC