Steven Naismith has urged Hearts supporters to get behind the team when games are in the balance following a frustrating afternoon on Saturday.

The full-time whistle was met by a chorus of boos from some of the 17,500 Hearts fans as the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders lost their 100 per cent record following a goalless draw with Livingston.

Naismith admitted Hearts were "poor all round" but stressed that the Tynecastle crowd could play a key role in similar encounters.

The Scotland international, who missed a penalty, told Hearts TV: "It's massive that we stick together.

"There is a lot of frustration after the game and it's probably hard to keep that in check. But I think (with) everybody involved, for the good of us – and if we want to do something special this season, then we need to stick together.

"Three hours after the game on Saturday you maybe look back and say 'we're still unbeaten, we've kept a clean sheet, we never gave up many chances' and you look at the positives.

"It's massively important that the fans get behind the team and the team produce performances that the fans can enjoy.

"I've said it many times before I came to Hearts that the stadium, and even more so now with the new stand, is a very intimidating atmosphere to come up against.

"Especially when we've been doing well and teams come to counter-attack, try and win the second balls and be in our faces.

"Towards the end of the game if the players can be patient enough and move the ball quickly, add that with the fans getting behind us and giving us that extra boost, then it definitely puts other teams under a lot of pressure.

"I also think at that crucial period of the last 15 minutes of a game, if everybody is raring behind the team then, especially the young boys in the squad, will feel that and they'll feel that they can go on and produce something good rather than maybe being on edge and having the mindset of 'don't make a mistake' rather than go and win the game, effectively."