After effortlessly defeating Celtic on Sunday to widen their lead in the Premiership by eight points, Hearts faced the pressing question of whether they could secure another win in their next outing.

However, a victory was not in the cards. Still, in the bigger picture, this draw might prove to be a valuable result.

Hearts delivered a performance familiar to their fans: abundant in determination with flashes of brilliance. Regrettably, there wasn’t quite enough magic to clinch the win.

The team came tantalizingly close to success, taking the lead twice only to be caught each time.

Hearts continue their unbeaten streak. Visiting Paisley poses a challenge even in ideal conditions, let alone following the exertion from their match against the reigning champions just days earlier.

Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland tries to get away from St Mirren defender Marcus Fraser

Claudio Braga heads home Hearts’ second equaliser of the night to secure a share of the spoils

Dan Nlundulu watches as his overhead effort sails into the net beyond Alexander Schwolow

Unfazed by potential fatigue, Derek McInnes fielded the same lineup for the sixth match in a row, marking the first time a Hearts manager has done so in nearly 40 years.

This was a test of his players’ mental toughness as much as anything else. And they passed.

They came within a whisker of going ahead just before the 15-minute mark after winning back possession on the halfway line.

Shankland had options either side, but plumped for the overlapping Beni Baningime. He cut inside on the angle of the area and sent a curling effort towards the top corner with Shamal George stranded. Fortunately for the Saints’ keeper, the post came to his rescue.

The credit for so much of Hearts’ early-season success has gone to the trio of Lawrence Shankland, Alexandros Kyziridis and Claudio Braga.

But they wouldn’t be able to hog the headlines were it not for Baningime and Cammy Devlin behind them. Former Everton man Baningime in particular was outstanding here. Whether he was breaking up play or driving forward, he was at the core of everything good Hearts did.

Braga was having an altogether tougher time of it in the first half, and was on the receiving end of a few choice words from his manager on the sideline on more than one occasion.

Both his — and McInnes’ — mood may have improved had the Portuguese been able to work George with a glancing header having met a Kyziridis delivery midway through the opening period.

Derek McInnes endured a rollercoaster night in Paisley but will ultimately be happy with a point

Shankland celebrates his first-half strike, his sixth league goal of the season and ninth in total

It wasn’t too long before the manager was going tonto again though. At least it wasn’t Braga getting the blame. First, Matthew MacDermid copped it for giving a soft-looking free-kick the way of the Buddies.

Then, it was the much-heralded backline which bore the brunt after failing to deal with the subsequent punt in to the area from the set-piece.

Dan Nlundulu shouldn’t have been able to bring it down on his chest six yards out, but even then, he had plenty to do. The overhead kick which flew beyond Alexander Schwolow was sublime.

Hearts’ response was instant. St Mirren failed to deal with a hopeful ball in to the box and, following a bit of ping-pong, the ball landed at the feet of Shankland, who coolly slotted home first time to notch his sixth Premiership goal of the campaign.

St Mirren went ahead again within 10 minutes of the restart through Miguel Freckleton. It came at the end of more uncharacteristically woeful defending from the league leaders.

The Buddies have taken a fair bit of stick for their style of play under Stephen Robinson. Not easy on the eye, or so many would have you believe. In truth, it’s an unfair label.

But there isn’t a team in Scotland’s top flight who relish the physical battle quite as much, and sometimes it’s not a bad idea to just do what you’re good at. They certainly reaped the rewards here.

Killian Phillips’ towering back-post header was tipped wide by Schwolow as the Saints chased a killer third. Yet, within a minute, parity was restored.

The Saints allowed Kyziridis far too much time to get a shot away from distance, with George only managing to tip it on to the bar at full stretch. Braga rose highest amongst those following up in the six-yard box to head in the rebound.

Substitute Pierre Landy Kabore thought he’d won it for Hearts in the dying stages, but he looked a mile offside in the build-up. VAR confirmed it to spoil the party in the away end.

ST MIRREN (3-5-2): George; Fraser, King, Frecklington; McMenamin (Sobowale 85), Phillips, Baccus (Donnelly 75), O’Hara, John; Nlundulu (Ayunga 75), Mandron. Booked: Freckleton, Phillips. Manager: Stephen Robinson.

HEARTS (4-4-2): Schwolow; McEntee, Halkett, Findlay, Kingsley (Kabore 66); Milne, Devlin, Baningime, Kyziridis; Braga (Magnusson 85), Shankland. Booked: Halkett, Milne. Manager: Derek McInnes.

Referee: Matthew MacDermid.

Attendance: 7,105.