St Mirren were comprehensively beaten 5-0 by Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle on Saturday, extending their losing run to four Premiership matches. The heavy defeat leaves Craig McLeish's side seventh in the standings with 10 points from eight games, having now conceded 14 goals this season.
Laurent Mendy opened the scoring for the hosts in the 20th minute with a half-volley into the top corner. The situation worsened for the visitors when Alex Gogic fouled Josh McPake in the box, allowing Calvin Miller to convert a penalty just after the half-hour mark. Miller scored his second spot-kick five minutes into the second half after a trip by substitute Liam Donnelly.
Claudio Braga added a fourth goal four minutes later, finishing after a pass from Miller. Josh McPake completed the rout with ten minutes remaining, capitalising on a defensive error. St Mirren struggled to create meaningful chances, with a Killian Phillips lob from the centre circle representing a rare attempt. The team's defensive issues are reflected in their stats, which show they have now conceded three or more goals in three of their last four matches.
Manager's reaction
Craig McLeish pointed to self-inflicted wounds after the match. "It’s not good enough from our point of view," the St Mirren manager said. "We shot ourselves in the foot and gave away two penalties which are avoidable." He also acknowledged that losing forward Niko Agrafiotis during the warm-up had disrupted his plans, though he stressed it was not an excuse for the overall performance. Agrafiotis's status will be monitored on the club's injuries page ahead of the next match.
The result means St Mirren have taken just one point from their last five league outings, a run that includes defeats to Celtic, Rangers and Dundee United. They now face a quick turnaround with a trip to face eighth-placed Aberdeen next weekend, a match they will view as key to halting their slide. Their upcoming fixtures show a challenging schedule ahead after the Aberdeen game.
Read the full report at scotsman.com
Published on 13 October 2026, fan reaction to the 5-0 defeat at Tynecastle has been scathing. One supporter, Michael, said, "The honeymoon is finally over for Craig McLeish!" Another, Stu G, noted the team now has the worst defensive record in the league, second only to Kilmarnock. The club, seventh with 10 points, has conceded 14 goals this season.
