It was a day to forget for St Mirren as Dunfermline inflicted a first defeat in six for the Saints after running out 3-0 winners at East End Park.
First half goals from Declan McManus and David Hopkirk had Allan Johnston's men comfortable going into the break with captain Callum Morris wrapping the game up in the second half to send the Pars back to the top of the table. Saints misery was compounded in the final few minutes when Adam Eckersley and Gregor Buchanan both saw red.
However, it could have been a different game if St Mirren could have capitalised on a good start to the match. The Buddies almost got off to a flier with just two minutes on the clock when a clearance by Gregor Buchanan was played on by Cammy Smith to Gavin Reilly. The striker had out-muscled Callum Morris to break forward and race into the box, but he stuck his effort just beyond Sean Murdoch's far post.
Lewis Morgan, who was St Mirren's best player throughout, showed some fancy footwork to beat several Dunfermline players on his way to the box. He didn't catch the shot right and it looked to be skewing well wide when it was deflected back into his path. But on the second attempt he flashed the ball over the bar.
The hosts had scored before the first 15 minutes in their previous four league matches in a row. It took them a little longer to do so, but not much when they drew first blood on 20 minutes. A ball across the field was headed on by Kallum Higginbotham. He found his target in Declan McManus, who broke through the St Mirren defence, hitting a shot into the ground with it bouncing beyond Craig Samson to put the Pars ahead.
Buoyed by that goal, the home side would take a firm grip on the match. McManus could have doubled Dunfermline's lead less than two minutes after his opener when he broke the offside trap and raced clear. But just as he made his way into the box Eckersley and Buchanan came across to close him out and deny him the chance to get a shot away.
The Pars passed up a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 on 25 minutes when David Hopkirk sent a shot by the post. Ironically it had come from a good chance for Saints to get themselves back into the game when a fizzing low cross from Stelios was turned behind for a Saints corner by Callum Morris. Ian McShane worked the corner short where it ended up at the feet of captain Stephen McGinn. The skipper was robbed of the ball just outside the Dunfermline box by Higginbotham who charged forward before playing it across the box to Hopkirk in acres of space. The substitute had all the time in the world to pick his spot, but somehow managed to stick it wide when he looked destined to score.
Higginbotham was the man that was making Dunfermline tick. From a corner he sent across a neat low driven ball into the path of Lee Ashcroft who flicked a foot at it with Samson doing well to turn it over the bar.
Saints grew in stature after these warning signs to have their best spell in the match. Reilly managed to escape from his marker to make his way into the box before cutting the ball across the face of goal. Stelios tried in vain to get on the end of it, but it was turned behind for a corner by Ryan Williamson. The short corner was eventually flung in to the back post by Ian McShane with Saints skipper McGinn there to get a touch only for it to be blocked and cleared away.
A strong finish to the half may have given Saints spirit to kick on in the second half, searching for a goal to get themselves level. But they were caught out just before the break with Dunfermline doubling their lead on 45 minutes. The ball was worked to Hopkirk on the edge of the box and he made it 2-0 to the Pars just before half time with a nice curling finish into the top corner.
Half Time: Dunfermline 2-0 St Mirren
Jack Ross responded to the first half performance by making a half time substitute. John Sutton was on to replace Stelios and he was the first man to go close in the second half. The striker rose above the Dunfermline defence to head a Morgan corner over the bar.
Saints had strong appeals for a penalty when, on 54 minutes, Reilly charged on to block from McGinn and appeared to be felled in the box. Referee Craig Thomson was unmoved despite protests from the St Mirren players.
And just two minutes after that penalty appeal was denied, Dunfermline wrapped the game up with a third goal. Pars captain Callum Morris rose the highest to head home a corner kick
It was game over, though Saints still tried to pull a goal back - winning a succession of corners, the closest of which saw McGinn fire a shot just wide.
The Buddies' day would go from bad to worse when Adam Eckersley received a red card on 87 minutes before Gregor Buchanan was given his marching order for a second bookable offence a minute later.
Full Time: Dunfermline 3-0 St Mirren
St Mirren: Samson, Stelios (Sutton 45), Buchanan, Baird, Eckersley, L.Smith, McGinn, McShane, Morgan, C.Smith (Todd 79), Reilly (Stewart 75)
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Irvine, Kirkpatrick, Duffy, Sutton
Dunfermline: Murdoch, Williamson, Talbot, Morris, Ashcroft, Wedderburn, Higginbotham (Splaine 82) , McManus, Shiels, Cardle (Hopkirk 18), Clark
Subs Not Used: Gill, Martin, Aird, Ryan, Smith
Referee: Craig Thomson
Assistant Referee: Graeme Stewart
Assistant Referee: Steven Strang
Attendance: 6628
