St Mirren 0 - 1 Hearts

Michael Stewart silently scrawled autographs in the Love Street lobby afterwards but this was a match already embossed by his signature.

Eggert Jonsson might have scored an unlikely winner for 10-man Hearts as an encounter neither team deserved to win slipped into the growing gloom, but that was overshadowed by yet another bout of bampottery from the combustible Scotland midfielder.

Pursued by Hugh Murray as he galloped forth, Stewart released the ball but, reacting to a supposed slight from the St Mirren midfielder, lashed out with "feet, elbows, head, everything", according to Will Haining, the home defender. Yet, with Murray on his knees beseeching Mike McCurry to arbitrate, the referee opted to award a corner. Two minutes elapsed before Bobby Madden, the fourth official, convinced his colleague that Stewart should be dismissed.

According to Jonsson, Stewart was keeping his own counsel, but Csaba Laszlo, the Hearts head coach, claimed he told him it was an accidental collision. It was not and it, yet again, sparks questions about the midfielder's mentality.

Perhaps the most erudite footballer in the country, Stewart was, as recently as Friday, talking intelligently about the importance of honouring the sacrifices made by Hearts players during the First World War. Yet, time and again, apparent frustration at his own failings manifests itself in reckless acts of violence. This has to stop if he is ever to truly fulfil the potential he demonstrated while at Manchester United because sooner or later, coaches will stop giving him second chances.

Lazslo, however, was more concerned with his side's reaction, delivering a parable about people following a man who sees solutions, not problems and noting the "200-piece jigsaw" that was his team selection. Injuries and suspensions resulted in Bruno Aguiar being deployed in attack, Jonsson at centre-back and Robbie Neilson, making his comeback, on the right wing, but the former was the one player on the pitch possessing a spark while the latter two were pivotal in the only goal, Neilson winning the free-kick from which the Icelander headed the winner.

Taken from the Herald