Match ends, St. Mirren 0, St. Johnstone 1.
St Mirren 0-1 St Johnstone
By Jonathan Sutherland
BBC Scotland at St Mirren Park
- From the section Football
St Mirren remain in search of their first home league win of the season as Michael O'Halloran scored the only goal in St Johnstone's win in Paisley.
Brian Easton's free-kick was not cleared properly and O'Halloran lashed in a deflected shot.
Brian Graham struck a post in the second-half as the Perth Saints almost doubled their lead.
St Mirren created several chances but failed to take any, as St Johnstone marched home with all three points.
Tommy Craig had insisted this was not a must-win match, but a decent result was sorely needed by the under-pressure St Mirren boss, whose team sit above bottom side Ross County on goal difference alone.
O'Halloran looked lively from the start as St Johnstone started strongly.
He collected the ball 20 yards out and unleashed a curling drive that took a deflection as it nestled into the net for his fifth goal in the last five games.
It took until the 23rd minute for St Mirren to produce any meaningful response. Adam Drury showed good pace down the right, but his shot from just inside the box was tame and comfortably saved.
Five minutes before the break, O'Halloran went down in the box under a challenge from Isaac Osbourne, but referee Kevin Clancy decided it was not a penalty.
Kenny McLean then tried his luck from 20 yards with his less-favoured right-foot but it was a comfortable take for Alan Mannus.
There was a blow for the home side at half-time as captain Steven Thompson was withdrawn as a precaution after tweaking his groin.
Despite that setback, St Mirren began brightly with Jason Naismith forcing Mannus into a fine save.
At the other end, James McFadden had a header saved before the Perth side almost took a 2-0 lead.
Striker Graham worked a yard of space in the box and fired a shot which looked goal-bound, but instead it came back off a post.
McLean went close with a couple of free-kicks for St Mirren, before a great chance fell for substitute Callum Ball but his near-post header was clawed away by Mannus.
St Mirren keeper Ridgers did well to save a close-range drive from Graham and Ball fired over from 10 yards after a corner.
Substitute Sean Kelly stung the palms of Mannus as St Mirren continued to create chances then, when Jason Naismith lashed in a late shot from the right that flew the wrong side of a post, it drew groans of disappointment in the home crowd.
Line-ups
St Mirren
- 12Ridgers
- 2Naismith
- 4McAusland
- 30BairdBooked at 54mins
- 22TesselaarBooked at 74mins
- 17DrurySubstituted forKellyat 77'minutes
- 31MallanBooked at 80mins
- 13Osbourne
- 7McGinnBooked at 84mins
- 8McLean
- 9ThompsonSubstituted forBallat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Kelly
- 10Marwood
- 14Reilly
- 16Ball
- 21Teale
- 28Kello
- 29Caldwell
St Johnstone
- 1Mannus
- 2MackayBooked at 40mins
- 6Anderson
- 5Wright
- 24Easton
- 10WotherspoonBooked at 33mins
- 4LappinBooked at 88minsSubstituted forMillerat 90'minutes
- 7MillarBooked at 61mins
- 29O'Halloran
- 17McFaddenSubstituted forDavidsonat 76'minutes
- 14Graham
Substitutes
- 8McDonald
- 11Morgan
- 15Banks
- 16Caddis
- 18Davidson
- 19Miller
- 20Brown
- Referee:
- Kevin Clancy
- Attendance:
- 2,720
Match Stats
Home TeamSt MirrenAway TeamSt Johnstone
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away5
- Corners
- Home3
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away10
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, St. Mirren 0, St. Johnstone 1.
Substitution
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Gary Miller replaces Simon Lappin.
Brian Graham (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren).
Attempt missed. Jason Naismith (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Booking
Simon Lappin (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card.
John McGinn (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Simon Lappin (St. Johnstone).
David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren).
Booking
John McGinn (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card.
Michael O'Halloran (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by John McGinn (St. Mirren).
Attempt missed. Brian Graham (St. Johnstone) header from the left side of the six yard box is too high.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Mark Ridgers.
Booking
Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card.
Michael O'Halloran (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren).
Attempt saved. Sean Kelly (St. Mirren) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Jack Baird.
Substitution
Substitution, St. Mirren. Sean Kelly replaces Adam Drury.
Substitution
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Murray Davidson replaces James McFadden.
Booking
Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card.
Michael O'Halloran (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren).
Attempt saved. Steven Anderson (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Jack Baird.
David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jeroen Tesselaar (St. Mirren).
Brian Graham (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Marc McAusland (St. Mirren).
Attempt missed. Callum Ball (St. Mirren) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Simon Lappin.
Attempt saved. Brian Graham (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Foul by Brian Easton (St. Johnstone).
Kenny McLean (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Callum Ball (St. Mirren) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Jack Baird (St. Mirren) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Alan Mannus.