10-MAN HEARTS COME UP TRUMPS

HEARTS overcame Beni Baningime's early red card to pull off a stunning 2-0 win over St Mirren and restore their six-point cushion at the top of the Premiership.

- BY ANTHONY BROWN

The midfielder (right) was dismissed for a rash, studs-up challenge on Roland Idowu after just 15 minutes, sucking the life out of a packed Tynecastle crowd and leaving the Jambos up against it with the score 0-0.

But ~ as they had done when digging out a 1-0 win with 10 men at Dundee on Sunday - the buoyant league leaders found a way to eke out a huge victory courtesy of second-half goals from captain Lawrence Shankland and sub Tomas Magnusson.

Derek McInnes side are now six points clear of both Rangers and Celtic, who they host in their next league match a week on Sunday.

The Hearts boss made four changes to the side that started Sunday's victory at Dundee, including handing Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon his first start of the season in place of the suspended Alexander Schwolow.