St Mirren 2 Hearts 0

Carey shattered Hearts when he smashed home a 30-yard thunderbolt on the stroke of half-time.

The Gareth Bale-like strike blew the doors off what had been a dreary dress rehearsal for the League Cup Final.

But more importantly for Saints it sealed a win — their first in four games — which saw them leapfrog the Jambos into tenth.

Paul McGowan’s fourth-minute spot-kick was the only real activity of note other than Carey’s stunner.

The action — or lack of it — would hardly have made the stayaway fans regret not joining the 3,369 who turned up last night.

Even Paisley supporters could not add to the goal tally during the break as their shootout sponsored by a double-glazing company drew a blank.

But a home side cobbled together by boss Danny Lennon — with Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with Celtic in mind — then defended doggedly to keep the Jambos at bay.

Lennon had seen his side fail to even score in their three-game winless run before last night.

He made five changes as he searched for goals and rested players ahead of the weekend game against the Hoops.

But his tinkering looked like a masterstroke as St Mirren took less than four minutes to go in front.

Hearts pair Darren Barr and Danny Wilson were both still wearing bandages around their brows after banging into each other against Kilmarnock 11 days earlier.

When Carey floated in a corner from the right, Barr lost his head and his marker as he hauled Lee Mair to the deck. It looked a stonewall penalty and referee Kevin Clancy agreed.

McGowan stepped up to rifle home his fifth goal of the season, and his third from the spot.

The Buddies continued to press and play the better football, yet could not convert that dominance into more goals.

Hearts went up the other end on a rare break and Craig Samson pushed away Jamie Walker’s drive.

Barr’s night went from bad to worse when he sent Carey tumbling with a late challenge and was booked.

The game then descended into one where both keepers were barely tested.

Hearts were playing like a team whose January 30 victory over basement boys Dundee was their solitary win in their last eight SPL games.

Michael Ngoo worked a rare Jambos opening, finding space at the edge of the box before drilling low, but Samson had it covered.

At the other end Carey threw in a cross which Sam Parkin might have done better with than nod wide.

Denis Prychynenko’s tame side-footed free-kick straight into the Buddies wall perfectly summed up what was being served up.

This clash was threatening to fizzle out as half-time approached.

But Carey had other ideas.

With the clock just about to tick past 45 he picked the ball up 30 yards out and unleashed a brilliant left-foot strike.

Jambos goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, standing just off his line, was taken aback after having little to do since the opener. His quick backtracking and desperate attempt to get a hand to the ball proved hopeless as it flew over him and in.

Carey’s strike was not in keeping with what had gone before, but it warmed the home fans up and they gave the winger a rousing reception as the teams trooped off at half-time.

It was no surprise that Hearts stopper Barr and the anonymous Arvydas Novikovas were hooked at the break, with gaffer John McGlynn sending on John Sutton and Dylan McGowan.

Sutton looked baffled when he took a tumble in a challenge with Mair and didn’t get a penalty.

Then Carey tried his luck from distance again, but this time MacDonald held on.

Walker was played in down the Jambos right and drilled at goal, but once more Samson blocked and the Buddies cleared.

Easy in the end for Saints, but Hearts’ miserable run shows no signs of ending.

St Mirren: Samson 7, Dummett 6, McAusland 7, Mair 7, Barron 6 (Van Zanten 2), Carey 8, McGinn 7, Newton 7, McGowan 7 (McLean 2), Guy 5 (Imrie 2), Parkin 5. Top Man: Carey.

Hearts: MacDonald 6, Wilson 6, Barr 3 (McGowan 4), Webster 6, Walker 6, Holt 6, Prychynenko 5 (Taouil 1), Novikovas 3 (Sutton 5), Ngoo 5, Tapping 5, McHattie 5. Top Man: Walker. Booked: Barr.

Referee: Kevin Clancy 7