Stern Andrew McKinlay and Hearts board left with huge decision to make as angry fans make their feelings clear

"Naismith, get tae ****, Naismith, Naismith get tae ****," a sizeable portion of the travelling support chanted. The Jambos still had time to find an equaliser, but they knew behind the goal. They knew this team wasn't going to find a leveller.

Why would they? Hearts have now only scored three goals in nine competitive games this season. They are winless, bottom of the Premiership and sapped of confidence. Last season's talismanic striker Lawrence Shankland looks a pale imitation of the 31-goal hitman that led the maroon forward line.

Hearts' goal here in Paisley came via a set-piece when Craig Halkett glanced home a Blair Spittal corner. In general play, they were largely toothless. Naismith admitted pre-match that his attack is not firing and this defeat was further evidence of that.

Naismith's position as head coach is on the line now. Ross County visit Tynecastle next weekend. Hearts have only won once in their past 15 matches and the boss cannot find a settled team or formation. Critics say his team has no identity. Right now, it is certainly not a winning one.

The manager knows the heat is on. He was vexed and angry on the touchline, cajoling his team on but clearly dispirited by his players’ end product. At one point he turned to his dugout with his head in his hands. However, he was steadfast post-match: he still believes he is the right man for the job. But as he acknowledged, time is fast running out for the 38-year-old to turn the tide.

Naismith is not being helped by his players. The crux of last season's third-placed team remains in situ - but they are not performing. Shankland, in particular, was a blunt instrument against St Mirren. His afternoon was summed up towards the end when he failed to steer an Alan Forrest cross on target. Believing the effort was deflected, he was booked for his protests. He remains goalless this term.

Hearts signed nine new players over the summer, but they are paying the price for not strengthening sufficiently in the forward areas. The only fresh striker to come in is young Gambian Musa Drammeh from Sevilla, who is raw and adapting to life in Scotland. Playmakers Blair Spittal and Yan Dhanda arrived from Motherwell and Ross County respectively but have not hit the ground running. Highly-rated youngster Finlay Pollock left on loan to Raith last week and was scoring 50 miles east for his new club. Hearts desperately need a spark in the final third. Costa Rican Kenneth Vargas was once again lacking in any end product.

St Mirren had not won since August when another team from Edinburgh visited. That 3-0 triumph over Hibs feels a long time ago. They needed a pick-me-up themselves to arrest talk of decline and played well here. Toyosi Olusanya scored and his lively nature was a constant source of bother to Hearts' centre-halves Stephen Kingsley and Halkett. Killian Phillips was powerful in midfield and the defence held firm in the last ten minutes as Hearts put a modicum of pressure on.

Saints were ahead early in this contest. On eight minutes, a vicious Mark O'Hara corner was met by Richard Taylor and his effort deflected in off his Hearts namesake Gerald after goalkeeper Craig Gordon hesitated. Hearts levelled ten minutes later through Halkett but just before the break, Olusanya latched on to Phillips' flick on and finished emphatically.

The second half did not lack effort, but quality was limited. On the hour mark, Halkett sent a routine pass straight into the stands, summing up Hearts' use of the ball. Naismith turned away in disgust.

After the travelling fans' pointed message, Naismith threw on Liam Boyce and Forrest in a desperate attempt to restore parity. A couple of half-chances came their way but there was never any belief that Hearts would net again.

St Mirren's players and their manager Stephen Robinson celebrated at the end, but it was a contrasting picture for the visitors. The shocked and spent Hearts players went over to the now incandescent away support - or what was left of it - but were told to go away. Kingsley gestured for calm. The ire was palpable.

Watching on in the directors' box was Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay, looking stern and deep in thought. He and his board have a lot of pondering to do over the future of man they handed a new contract to just a couple of months ago. The joys of clinching third in spring are long gone now, and a winter of discontent awaits if fortunes do not improve swiftly. Whether Naismith is the man to bring them remains to be seen after this eighth straight defeat.