3 talking points as Hearts spoil Stephen Robinson's St Mirren debut to end winless slump

Hearts ended a four-game winless run to stretch their lead in third as Stephen Robinson endured a miserable return to the Premiership with St Mirren.

Second half goals from substitute Ellis Simms and Cammy Devlin proved the difference but it was the 22nd minute sending off of Buddies playmaker Conor Ronan which did the real damage to Robinson and his side.

In front of the watching Scotland boss Steve Clarke, Barrie McKay impressed playing in behind Liam Boyce before moving wide left after the break and teeing up Simms for the all-important opener.

The result stretches Hearts ’ lead in third place to 11 points while Saints’ first defeat in nine sees them drop to eighth.

McKay started brightly and laid in Boyce for the first effort on goal but the Northern Irishman’s turn and shot flew wide.

Boyce went even closer after eight minutes when his header fro a Stephen Kingsley cross forced Jak Alnwick into the first save of the afternoon.

It was a fast start from the Jambos who were giving Saints a headache in the wide areas and McKay’s brilliant pick-out of Boyce at the back post brought another save from Alnwick as the Buddies lived dangerously.

And if they were up against it in the opening quarter of an hour their task got even harder after 22 minutes when Ronan was red carded for a challenge that left Beni Baningime in a heap on the half way line.

Referee Greg Aitken took an age to make the decision after consulting with his assistants. Ronan certainly went in hard and from the side it looked high and studs-up. Not that the home fans were in any mood to agree as Aitken and Baningime took pelters from the Paisley punters.

Robinson never even noticed the red card being brandished until his assistant Diarmuid O’Carroll