A SECOND-HALF goal from Eggert Jonsson was enough to bring Hearts' winless SPL run to an end at Love Street this afternoon.
The Icelander sent a glancing header past Mark Howard with just 11 minutes remaining in Paisley to record the Tynecastle side's first win since the end of September.
The Jambos had struggled to find their rhythm during the early stages of the
match and lost Saul Mikoliunas to injury in the first half before being reduced to ten men when Michael Stewart was shown a straight red card for a tangle with Saints' Hugh Murray.
Saints had the bect of the clear-cut chances but the Jambos hit them with the classic sucker punch as time ticked away.
Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo found out this week that Deividas Cesnauskis will be ruled out for around a month with a tear to his left thigh muscle but he was boosted by the return to the first-team squad of Robbie Neilson and David Obua, although both had to settle for a place on the bench.
The home side enjoyed the best of the early chances, without managing to create enough danger to bag the opener.
With eight minutes gone Billy Mehmet managed to play the ball off Jason Thompson for a corner and when Steven Robb whipped it in from the right, Will Haining rose to meet it but could only send his header over the bar.
They had another chance when Franco Mirando was fouled by Mikoliunas on the left. Robb was invovled again, swining the ball deep into the box but this time Ruben Palazuelos was on hand to head it clear.
Again Saints pushed forward and looked set to score when Robb and Mehmet combined to tee up Gary Mason, who had raced in at the far side but the former Dunfermline man stumbled and allowed the Jambos to clear their lines.
At the other end Hearts were awarded a free-kick when Mikoliunas looked to be body-checked out wide on the right of the pitch. Aguiar took it, using his right foot to bend it deep into the danger area but Saints keeper Mark Howard got one hand to is and pushed it wide of the goal and Mehmet was there to thump it away up the park.
Mikoliunas attempted a shot with just over 20 minutes gone but took a heavy knock on his right knee in the priocess when John Potter tried to intervene.
After a few minutes' treatment the Lithuanian resumed play but was clearly struggling to shake off the problem and Laszlo took the decision to bring on Neilson to replace him.
Saints almost took the lead in 35 minutes when Franco Miranda charged in on goal and unleashed a fierce effort from 25 yards that swerved just wide at the last minute with Janos Balgoh struggling to get across his goal in time.
Hearts were reduced to ten men five minutes before the break when Stewart was sent for an early bath after a clash with Saints' Murray.
The two were tangled up together off the ball as they raced towards the home side's goal and in frustration Stewart appeared to push the Love Street player. While the crowd reacted furiously, referee Mike McCurry didn't see a thing but the fourth official Bobby Madden called hinm over a his version of event lead to Stewart being shown a straight red.
Minutes later Murray fed Miranda down the right and his ball across goal was sent over the bar by the head of Robb again.
Just after the restart Saints came close again when Andy Dorman, a half-time sub for Garry Brady, fed Dennis Wyness and when he poked the ball through for Mahmet in the box it looked like a goal was a certainty but he somehow sent it just inches wide of Balogh's left-hand post.
With just over an hour gone Aguiar tried his luck with a shot from long range but he curled it just over the crossbar.
The Jambos were awarded a free kick on the right when Neilson was tripped about 12 yards from the goal-line and it proved to be a vital award. Andrew Driver, who had been pretty much anonymous in the preceding 78 minutes, swung in a beautiful free-kick which was just the right height for Eggert Jonsson, who got the slightest of touches on the ball with his head to send it into the net and bring the Tynecastle side's winless run to an end.
St Mirren: Howard, Ross, Miranda, Mason, Haining, Potter, Murray, Mehmet (Dargo 69), Wyness (Hamilton 62), Brady (Dorman 46), Robb. Unused subs: Smith, McAusland, McGinn, McShane.
Hearts: Balogh, Wallace, Berra, Palazuelos, Mikoliunas (Neilson 28), Aguiar, Driver (Obua 90), Nade (Mole 81), Thomson, Jonsson, Stewart. Unused subs: Kello, Makela, Templeton, Rapnik.
Referee: Mike McCurry
Attendance: 4192
