St Mirren are just a point away from clinching the Ladbrokes Championship after a hard-fought win away to basement side Brechin City.
It had looked like it may have been Saints day with Livingston being held by Morton heading into the last 10 minutes. But a late Alan Lithgow goal for Livi delayed the celebrations, with Jack Ross now able to secure the title on Tuesday night when they head to Tannadice to face Dundee United.
The Buddies got off to a bright start threatening the hosts inside the first minute. Lewis Morgan gave Brechin's Graeme Smith something to think about with a long-range effort on five minutes but the goalkeeper gathered on the second attempt.
It took Saints just seven minutes to make the breakthrough though with Kyle Magennis opening the scoring for the Buddies. The 19 year-old showed good pace and strength to break away from Callum Tapping to meet an Adam Eckersley throw-in. He took one touch with his left foot to move it on to his right before unleashing a powerful drive that flew past Graeme Smith into the far right corner.
Saints were doing there bit and were boosted by the news that Morton had taken the lead over Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
The game hit a bit of a lull with neither side managed to conjure up any real opportunities. That changed on 28 minutes when Brechin's Jordan Sinclair cracked the cross bar from distance.
The Buddies weren't far away from doubling their lead on three occasions before the interval. The first seeing Morgan curl a free kick just by the left post after he was fouled, before Harry Davis' header from a Magennis free kick was blocked by Smith. Finally, Davis was on the end of a corner but the crowded box denied Saints the opportunity to poke the ball into the net from the following stramash.
Half Time: Brechin City 0-1 St Mirren
Brechin took kick-off in the second half and looked to threaten early on with Sinclair having a shot blocked from the edge of the box and Finn Graham having a go from distance, though it was easily gathered by Samson.
Gary MacKenzie recovered well to make a good block to deny Isaac Layne the chance to go one-on-one with Samson on 56 minutes and from there Saints seemed to kick on as they created a number of chances in the minutes that followed. Danny Mullen's ball across the box met the sliding in Cammy Smith whose effort came off the side netting. A minute later Mullen was unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet after beating Graeme Smith with a chip only for Euan Smith to clear off the line. Brechin keeper Graeme Smith then did well to save a shot from Morgan as Saints tried to wrap up the three points.
Morgan went close late on for Saints with an effort that went just by the post while Dylan Mackin saw a shot pushed away by Craig Samson up the other end.
With Livingston sealing a late win against Morton, it meant this afternoon wasn't the day Saints officially sealed the title and promotion back to the Ladbrokes Premiership. But things are in the Buddies' hands come Tuesday as they know that if they take anything against Dundee United at Tannadice, they will be crowned Champions.
Full Time: Brechin City 0-1 St Mirren
St Mirren: Samson, L.Smith, Davis, MacKenzie, Eckersley, Magennis, McGinn, Flynn, C.Smith (Reilly 68), Morgan, Mullen (McShane 77)
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Baird, Stelios, McShane, Hippolyte, Sutton, Reilly
Brechin City: G. Smith, Dyer, Fusco (Lynas 50), Dale, Tapping, Graham (Morrison 75), Layne, Spark, Orsi, Sinclair (Mackin 62), E.Smith
Subs Not Used: O'Neill, Watt, Mackin, Costello
Referee: David Munro
Assistant Referee: Anthony Cooper
Assistant Referee: Will Smith
Attendance: 2447
Match Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography.
