BUDDIES BENEFIT FROM VAR CALL FOR A CHANGE

Hearts late winner ruled out as Paisley men secure point

- Colin Paterson

Late drama Kabore scores but VAR ruled his strike out

VAR came to St Mirren's rescue last night as Hearts were denied a late victory in a barnstorming clash.

The technology ruled for offside after Pierre Kabore looked to have bagged an 88th-minute winner at the SMISA Stadium for Jambos.

It had earlier frustrated the Buddies who thought they had taken a 3-1 lead through Miguel Freckleton but his effort was chalked off.

The defender had put Saints in front after Lawrence Shankland wiped out Dan Nlundulu's wonder opener. Claudio Braga made it 2-2 and that's the way it stayed as Saints snapped a run of three straight defeats ahead of this Saturday's Premier Sports Cup semifinal with Motherwell at Hampden.

The Buddies made two changes to the side which lost 3-1 at Dundee United with Richard King and Mikael Mandron replacing the suspended Alex Gogic and Jonah Ayunga.