Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

The Scottish Premiership's bottom side St Mirren fought back to draw with Hearts and deny the Tynecastle outfit a share of fourth place.

Clevid Dikamona rose to meet Olly Lee's corner and nod in his first Hearts goal in the second half.

But it was cancelled out by Sean Clare's headed own goal.

Dikamona then almost put the Buddies in front, his attempted clearance superbly saved by Zdenek Zlamal but St Mirren had to settle for a point in the end.

Oran Kearney's side move to within four points of Hamilton, who host Rangers on Sunday, and Dundee.

Hearts now trail Kilmarnock, who lost at Livingston, by two points.

Buddies start and finish with a flourish

The visitors had travelled to Edinburgh boosted by their display in last week's 2-2 draw at Aberdeen and set about quietening the home crowd.

Greg Tansey swept an early short just wide before Paul McGinn and Duckens Nazon could not get a hold of their shots when presented with chances inside the Hearts box. Kyle McAllister later robbed Christophe Berra and raced through to fire wide when he should have hit the target.

Craig Levein's side also made their attacking intent clear with Steven Naismith's effort kept out by Vaclav Hladky and the keeper denying Dikamona, Berra and Lee in quick succession at a corner.

And it was from a set piece that the home side ended the impasse, Dikamona left unmarked to convert Lee's delivery.

Dikamona marked his 19th Hearts appearance with his first goal for the club

But St Mirren refused to crumble and, from McAllister's corner, Clare seemed to get his bearings wrong as he knocked the ball past Zlamal, who had replaced Colin Doyle in the starting line-up.

Doyle's error had helped Motherwell defeat Hearts last weekend and Zlamal justified his inclusion with a stunning intervention to prevent Dikamona scoring an own goal.

Tansey fired wide again as St Mirren banked another morale-boosting performance if not the full three points.

Haring return a boost for Hearts - analysis

BBC Scotland's John Barnes at Tynecastle

Such has been the turnover of players at St Mirren they have used 38 in the Premiership this season as they look to find a formula for success.

The changes made by Kearney are beginning to bear fruit but is it going to be too late to get them out of their current situation?

There is a more organised and creative feel to their play and that was evident by the number of chances produced, particularly in the first half.

Hearts had Peter Haring back in the anchor role in midfield for the first time since the end of December, which was a positive as he got an hour under his belt after recovering from a hernia operation.

However, there seemed a lack of urgency and pace to their attacks and the final telling pass into the danger area was regularly the home side's downfall.

'Hearts decision making was cloudy' - reaction

Hearts manager Craig Levein: "We didn't move the ball quick enough, we didn't play with enough intent. Our decision-making became cloudy to say the least so it was a really disappointing day.

"Sean Clare just got caught and confused. I think there was a player holding on to him and spun him around and the ball's hit the back of his head. It happens but I would be really hopeful that we could score more than one goal at home in a game of this nature and if we had've done, it wouldn't have mattered."

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney: "Very happy with the performance and the endeavour again that was shown. We've created some good chances where possibly we could be ahead in the game and you end up with a different outcome.

"We've been building and building well. We're in a good strong place in relation to training's been good, attitudes have been good. We're all fighting for the same cause. I can't ask for anything more, it's just that possible wee bit of luck, how to change these one points into three points."