Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

Hearts picked up more injury problems as Craig Halkett and Loic Damour limped off in the goalless Scottish Premiership draw with St Mirren.

The eighth-placed visitors, already without John Souttar and Ben Garuccio, started with Christophe Berra on the bench but he was forced on for Halkett.

Tony Andreu had a goal ruled out for offside for the hosts, who move two points clear of bottom place.

"The one with Craig is a real body blow," said Hearts boss Craig Levein.

"He went in for a challenge and got caught. He's opened up the medial knee ligament in a challenge and damaged it, so he could be out for a little while. Possibly a long while."

"Loic Damour hasn't played a lot of football, so his injury is nothing serious at all, he just felt his hamstring get tight and was worried about it."

Jim Goodwin's side end a run of three straight league defeats while Craig Levein's Hearts are a point better off than St Mirren.

The result ends a positive week for the Tynecastle side, who claimed their first league win of the campaign last weekend against Hibernian before setting up a League Cup semi-final against Rangers in midweek with a penalty shoot-out triumph over Aberdeen.

However, with Jamie Walker and Conor Washington also on the sidelines, the injury to Halkett and Damour's early withdrawal is giving Levein a growing absentee list.

Buddies denied by flag on frustrating day

Given St Mirren's thirst for goals, it was sheer relief that washed over the stadium as the ball bulged the net in the first half. Andreu spun superbly in the penalty area to get himself into the perfect shooting position before rifling expertly into the bottom corner of the net. But football can be so cruel.

Just as the home crowd were enjoying that rare, sweet taste of a precious goal, the flag came up from the assistant referee for offside. It was the correct call. That familiar agony of thirst for a goal returned for all of a Buddies persuasion.

The first half was littered with examples why St Mirren went into this match as the lowest scorers in the Premiership.

From a pinpoint Andreu cross, Ilkay Durmus produced a perfect fresh-air shot when a perfect volley was required. One-on-one with defender Michael Smith, St Mirren striker Junior Morias never looked confident of capitalising, to his credit he salvaged the situation to an extent which resulted in Durmus crossing for Kyle Magennis - but, as is the way with St Mirren, his effort finished wide of the post.

And at the other end, Hearts were arguably the greater goal threat. MacLean and Halkett went close with early efforts, while Smith tried his luck from 30 yards but the ball flew just wide.

Berra tested goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky twice and Hearts would have their own cause for controversy. Ryo Meshino fell in the box, a claim for a penalty which the officials waved away.

Apart from a few long range speculative efforts the amount of chances began to wane. There were further Hearts calls for a penalty as Andrew Irving went down in the box, but again there was nothing doing from the officials.

MacLean would have a major opportunity before the end, the ball played into the box by Uche Ikpeazu and MacLean getting a touch to the ball before colliding heavily with Hladky and the ball once again finishing wide, the same fate as Jon Obika's injury time effort for he hosts.

Man of the match - Michael Smith

Had to be a defensive minded individual after it finished 0-0.

Glenn Whelan has been getting plaudits, and rightly so. Once again he directed the flow of play from a Hearts point of view from his deep lying midfield position.

But the nod goes to Michael Smith, normally a right-back but playing in the centre of the back three. He kept things organised, offering advice for young Aaron Hickey beside him and read the game assuredly throughout.

Halkett injury 'a real body blow' - reaction

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin: "It's the fourth game at home and a third clean sheet, so defensively we're solid, but the bottom line is we've not got enough at the other end to go and win the game.

"We had a couple of good chances in the first half. Ilkay Durmus got in a good position, but ultimately we've not worked the goalkeeper. There's no getting away from the fact that we've scored the least amount of goals, and that's the bit we need to do better that, and we know that as a group."