Saints returned to action and to winning ways with a hard-fought victory over Livingston.
The Buddies led after an unspectacular first half, the combined efforts of Mikael Mandron and unfortunate Livingston defender Sean Kelly resulting in the bull trundling into the away net as the opening 45 minutes drew to a close.
It looked as if Saints had sealed the win late on when Tom Parkes put the ball into his own net while trying to clear a free-kick, however his blushes were spared when VAR ruled it out for offside. In stoppage time a tremendous save from Zach Hemming kept out Joel Nouble and ensured the points stayed in Paisley.
Jonah Ayunga made his much anticipated return to the first team squad after 11 months away, the forward coming straight into the team to join Mandron up front. Mark O'Hara also returned, with the suspended Keanu Baccus and the injured Ryan Strain the pair dropping out as Conor McMenamin started at wingback. Former Buddie Sean Kelly started for Livingston, with Bruce Anderson leading the visiting attack alongside Nouble.
O'Hara headed Scott Tanser's cross past the post before Anderson smashed a shot well over from the edge of the box as the two sides tried to suss each other out early on. It was a drab first half, Richard Taylor scooping a shot wide after a neat turn following a Saints corner proving to be the last moment of note for the best part of 20 minutes until Livi's Michael Nottingham headed against the bar. Anderson then fizzed a ball across goal with no takers as the visitors threatened again but just as they were gaining some impetus they fell behind.
Greg Kiltie latched onto a ball behind the visiting defence and raced into the box before taking a shot that Shamal George was unable to hold, Mandron and Kelly both sliding in to help the ball trickle across the line. It was hard to tell who got the final touch, although the striker was more than happy to claim the credit, but the main thing was Saints were in front.
An own goal from ex-Saint Sean Kelly gave us the points (Image: Allan Picken)
Saints looked to add a quick second, George watching as Ayunga's header hit the bar and bounced behind after Livingston failed to deal with a corner. Alex Gogic headed well over from another corner in stoppage time before, at the other end, James Penrice sent in a teasing ball that Scott Pitman slid in to meet at the front post, only to send it spinning up into the air for Zach Hemming to catch.
Taylor seemed to fancy his chances of a goal as early in the second half he strolled forward before playing the ball out wide, being ready to collect the it when the Livingston defence tried to clear the resultant cross, however his shot was well off target. There were a few half-hearted penalty appeals after the Saints attack felt stymied in their efforts to reach Kiltie's inviting cross before Caolan Boyd-Munce's low effort from 20 yards had a worried George scrambling across his goal as it went narrowly wide.
Ayunga's first appearance for 300 days was brought to an end after a productive hour when he was replaced by Alex Greive, Taylor then having to hook a goal-bound Kurtis Guthrie effort clear as a Livi corner caused a bit of panic in the Saints box. Taylor's day came to a premature end when he seemed to land badly and eventually needed the help of a stretcher, Charles Dunne taking his place. The frost had never properly left the final third that Saints were attacking and some slipping and sliding eventually saw the ball trundle past after Mandron had tried to get onto the end of a cross. From the following corner, Boyd-Munce's delivery found Tanser, who turned and shot well wide.
A few moments later it looked as if Saints had wrapped up the three points. Boyd-Munce's free-kick caused chaos in the box and when Parkes tried to clear it he could only smash the ball into the roof of the net. The Saints players and fans celebrated and everyone was ready to resume before the dreaded letters VAR were mentioned. A lengthy wait ensued as the officials checked for offside, eventually ruling it out.
The delay, combined with previous injuries, meant eight minutes were added on and they started with Gogic picking up the game's first booking. Kiltie was alert to pressure George when he tried to deal with a passback, the goalie whacking the ball off the onrushing Saints player before it spun safely behind. With three minutes left Hemming produced a great save to keep out Nouble's shot after great work from Anderson. From the corner, McMenamin broke down the right and charged into the box, his shot being blocked and the ball breaking for O'Hara who fired just over. After that, the Buddies were able to see out the remaining few minutes relatively comfortable to take all three points.
Full-Time: St Mirren 1-0 Livingston
St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor (Dunne 72), McMenamin, Boyd-Munce (Bolton 87), O'Hara (c), Kiltie, Tanser, Mandron (Nahmani 87), Ayunga (Greive 60)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Small, Lennon, Flynn, Jamieson
Livingston: George, Devlin, Nottingham, Kelly (Parkes 64), Nouble, Holt, Pittman (Kelly 82), Shinnie (Sangare 64), Penrice (Brandon 90), Guthrie, Anderson
Subs Not Used: Hamilton, Welch-Hayes, Bradley, de Lucas, Lloyd
Referee: David Munro
Assistant Referee: Jonathan Bell
Assistant Referee: Craig Ferguson
Fourth Official: Matthew MacDermid
VAR: Greg Aitken
Attendance: 5,632
