Motherwell now also have a player go off injured as Liam Shaw is unable to continue and Ross Tierney replaces the on-loan Celtic midfielder.

Soon after, St Mirren have their first chance of the game and new midfield signing Alex Gogic should really do better than somehow hits the shot off a defender.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at the SMISA Stadium

We’re badly lacking quality in Paisley as both sides struggle to impose themselves in any meaningful way.

Buddies striker Eamonn Brophy has been replaced with new loan signing Alex Gogic due to injury and it’s the type of game that should suit the former Hibs midfielder. A bit of a battle overall.

Motherwell, though, do seem to be waking up and Sean Goss goes close from Callum Slattery’s cross, but goalkeeper Jan Alnwick is equal to the midfielder's effort.

Not one for the purists so far.

Another half chance for Niall McGinn, who takes the ball down well on his chest at the edge of the United box.

The Northern Ireland winger then attempts a volley, but it's high over the bar.

Alan Forrest is at it again! He dances past his marker and squares it, but this time there's no one in the six-yard box to tap home.

The Livingston winger turned down a move to Perth just last week. How different things could have been this evening.

Rocky Bushiri is first to a Hibs corner and the centre-half's header is powerful and on target, but Ellis Simms sticks to his marking task and the ball cannons off the Hearts striker's napper to save the day for his team.

Regan Charles-Cook manages to dance his way to the byline and, just as the Aberdeen defence expect it to be cut-back, the winger takes one more touch and gets his shot off.

Goalkeeper Joe Lewis has his front post covered well and denies him though.

Dundee new boy Vontae Daley-Campbell has been a standout for the home side.

The Leicester loanee is motoring forward from right-back and is causing a problem for opposing full-back Scott McMann, who he's just nutmegged for a second time.

Hibs striker Christian Doidge is almost through but gets the ball stuck under his feet and that gives Tony Sibbick time to eat up ground and make a good block when the shot is eventually released.

County look to break from an Aberdeen set-piece, but Lewis Ferguson retrieves the ball in the middle of the park.

The midfielder turns and drives towards goal before unleashing a 30-yard strike that narrowly goes wide.

Motherwell are slowly taking control of the game in Paisley and midfielder Sean Goss stings the palms of Saints goalkeeper Jak Alnwick.

Benjamin Siegrist is in inspired form again.

The United goalkeeper is at full stretch to tip away forward Paul McMullan's glancing header.

Funso Ojo, who's playing on the left tonight for the away side, gathers the ball 20-yards from goal and has a snap-shot on goal, but goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw was again able to palm it to safety.

This game has died down quite a bit now, so maybe that chance will fire it into life.

Derek Ferguson
Former Rangers and Hamilton midfielder on Sportsound

Image source, SNS

What a ball from Charlie Adam.

The Dundee captain whips in a deep free-kick to the back post, but Calum Butcher does brilliantly to get something in the way.

Not too much to report on since the goal, but St Johnstone are fairly comfortable.

When was the last time anyone was able to say that?

Hibs' Chris Mueller flights a lovely cross in from the right and it looks like striker Christian Doidge is going to meet it at the edge of the six yard box, but defender Tony Sibbick sticks out a leg and gets the merest of touches to change the flight of the ball ever so slightly.

An early blow for St Mirren as forward Eamonn Brophy limps off after just 19 minutes.

It means an early debut for Alex Gogic, the midfielder who has joined on loan from Hibs.

Not far away from Tony Watt, who lines one up from range.

The United striker cuts across the ball but sees his effort bend wide of the top-right corner.

Hearts want a penalty as striker Ellis Simms is floored by a Lewis Stevenson challenge as they chase down a loose ball.

An emphatic no from referee Don Robertson.