St Mirren 0 - 0 Hearts: Craig Halkett ligament injury a worry for Gorgie side

Their mini-revival continued with a hard-fought draw in sun-splattered Paisley. The point came at a cost, however, as their relentless injury worries intensified.

Craig Halkett, who was made skipper for the day with Christophe Berra initially consigned to the bench, limped off with suspected knee ligament damage after 26 minutes. He is expected to be out for months.

“Last week was probably the first time we played a match and I didn’t have to take anyone off before half-time,” lamented Levein. “I thought we had got over that, but then I had to take off two today before half-time.

“It was a freak challenge and the boy has caught Craig on the outside of his knee. He could be out for quite a while.”

The international break cannot come soon enough for Levein, who now has nine first-team players on the sidelines. This number includes Loic Damour, who was taken off six minutes before half-time after complaining about a tight hamstring.

Hearts might still have taken maximum points although they were also grateful for the delayed offside flag that ruled out Tony Andreu’s goal after 26 minutes.

Steven MacLean wasted two chances on either side of this moment. He prodded past early on from six yards and then knocked a chipped cross from Uche Ikpeazu past the far post while under pressure from goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky with 15 minutes left.

By the same token, substitute Jon Obika could well have sealed the points for the hosts in the final minute following a counter attack. He steered his shot just wide of Joel Pereira’s post.

The biggest cheer from the home fans ended up being when the Tannoy announcer delivered the news of Morton’s 6-0 defeat at Dundee United. This was the second goalless draw in succession they have witnessed at the Simple Digital Arena so they are in need of a thrill.

“It’s the third clean sheet out of four at home – and the one goal we did concede was a wonder free-kick from [Borna] Barisic,” said Jim Goodwin afterwards. “We just have to get it right at the other end.”

This was a new Hearts in terms of outlook with the team seemingly designed to play to key man Ryotaro Meshino’s strengths. It was also noticeably less lofty. Part of this was due to Berra’s absence – initially at least. Only Uche Ukpeazu of the outfield players in the starting XI stands comfortably over 6ft.

Indeed, Hearts, in the early stages, mocked the assessment of them as a long ball team. It might have been true not so long ago but their play in the opening stages, with Michael Smith spraying out balls from the back, was very easy on the eye.

It became more rugged thereafter as Levein, not for the first time, was forced to make running changes. They persisted with three at the back, with Smith in the centre. Halkett, the seemingly more obvious choice for that role, was deployed on his right before his unfortunate injury, the endlessly versatile Aaron Hickey to his left.

This at least was the plan. As so often just now, misfortune was not far away. Halkett’s injury, sustained while challenging Kyle Magennis, meant a reprieve for Berra, who came into the fray after just 24 minutes. It might have got much worse for the visitors since they lost a goal moments later, before Berra had even time to take up position on the left of the three-man defence, the two-footed Hickey moving to the right.

Fortunately for Hearts, Andreu’s goal following a mis-hit Paul McGinn shot was ruled out for offside. The visitors were then forced into another change when Damour limped off to be replaced by the tall figure of Andy Irving, which meant Hearts were gaining on St Mirren in a height sense at least now that both the teenager and Berra were on the pitch.

The latter was making his presence felt in the opponents’ box and twice came close to scoring, both times after Irving assists. His first effort, a stabbed shot after an Irving corner, was well saved by Hladky. The second, a header from Irving’s free-kick, was straight at the keeper.