Hearts dug deep to earn this first domestic three points of the season away from home as they survived a second half St Johnstone fight back and snatched victory with a winner from Kenneth Vargas.
Hearts had a great chance 15 minutes in when they pressed St Johnstone high and Malachai Boateng won possession. He played a neat one-two with Spittal and slid the ball to Lawrence Shankland who turned and dragged his low shot narrowly wide from 12 yards.
Just three minutes later the hosts won a free kick 20 yards out and with the likes of Barry Douglas, Graham Carey and Nicky Clark they were spoilt for choice with takers. All three stood over it but it was Carey who struck it and Gordon was forced into a diving save to clear the danger.
Minutes later Saints hit the visitors on the counter attack and worked the ball up the pitch to Carey who curled a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box but it was the Jambos who took the leader when Forrest's effort was deflected for a corner and Spittal's delivery was headed into the net by St Johnstone skipper Clark who mistimed his clearance.
The game continued to be end to end and Saints were looking to pounce on any error from the visitors and Kye Rowels gave away a huge opportunity when Adama Sidebh pinched the ball off him but the striker wasted the opportunity when he shot wide of the near post as he drove into the box.
St Johsntone made a drastic change at half time with Ross Sinclair being replaced by Josh Rae in goal. Hearts had been clearly targeting him with inswingers from their multiple corners and he certainly could have done better for the goal but there was no sign of injury so it definitely looked like a deliberate tactical choice from Simo Valakari.
Saints came out swinging after the break and Jason Holt came within inches of leveling the scores when his curling effort rattled the crossbar. Craig Gordon wasn't called into action in the second half till the 54th minute but when he was he produced a typically quality save when Sidibeh met a cross at the near post and he had to palm it away at full stretch with two St Johnstone players lurking at the back post.
St Johnstone were certainly the better team in the second half and were rewarded for that when VAR intervened after Cammy Devlin brought down Kyle Cameron in the box from a Carey corner. Chris Graham was called to the monitor, gave the spot kick and Nicky Clark sent Craig Gordon the wrong way.
Hearts had posed no threat in the half whatever but Beni Baningimie, who had been easily their best player, took maters into his own hands when he drove at the box from midway in the half and slid in substitute Kenneth Vargas who couldn't miss when one-on-one with Rae to restore the visitors lead.
From that point on the visitors were able to see out the game and secure the points away from home to move them off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership. Hare is how we rated the players:
1. Craig Gordon - 7
Produced some fine saves in either half including an excellent dive at full stretch from a Sidibeh header. | SNS Group
2. James Penrice - 6
Was caught out of possession a few times but was equal to the threat of the St Johnstone wide men when 1-on-1. | SNS Group
3. Frankie Kent - 6
Solid enough at the back and was important defensively at set pieces but did have one or two hairy moments | SNS Group
4. Kye Rowles - 5
Not a great performance from Rowles who gave away possession in dangerous areas more than once. Amore clinical team would probably have punished his mistakes. | SNS Group