St Mirren picked up their first win of the season in the Ladbrokes Championship after a dramatic end to a pulsating 90 minutes at Palmerston Park. Jack Ross' side were well worthy of the three points with a fine attacking display which saw them deservedly get their first three points of the season.
Saints started the game brightly with half chances for Lewis Morgan and Jason Naismith in the early stages. Firstly, Morgan was played in down the right as he latched on to a Stephen Mallan pass. The winger sped past Darren Brownlie but took the shot early from outside the area and sent it wide.
Mallan was involved again when his effort was deflected out for a corner kick. Kyle McAllister took the corner, but after the first attempt was cleared it was flung into the back post where Naismith, making his 100th Saints appearance, took the ball on his left foot and put it over the bar.
Derek Lyle should have put the Doonhamers ahead after Scott Gallacher spilled a shot straight into the striker's path but he somehow knocked the ball by the post. The home side weren't made to wait for the opener though as Stephen Dobbie put them ahead a minute later. Grant Anderson got in behind Gary Irvine and laid the ball into the path of Dobbie who rolled the ball into the net.
Saints reaction was exactly what Jack Ross would have been after as Saints were level a little over two minutes later when Kyle Magennis got his first goal for the Saints. The 18 year-old picked up the ball around 25 yards out and powered the ball into the back of the net. It was a sensational effort from the midfielder whose thundering effort left Lee Robinson with absolutely no chance.
The Buddies could've been ahead on 34 minutes through John Sutton. Mallan launched the ball into the Queens box on to the head of Naismith who nodded the ball into the feet of the big striker. However, as he turned to shoot the passage to goal was blocked by one of the Queens defenders and ended up safely in the arms of the goalkeeper.
The visitors were doing well without creating too many clear cut chances but found themselves behind just before half time. The ball was given away in the middle of the park and Lyle played the ball into the path of Dobbie who guided the ball beyond Gallacher to get his second of the game.
Half Time: Queen of the South 2-1 St Mirren
The second half got off to a scrappy start but Saints got themselves back on level terms for the second time. Naismith was clipped as he ran down the right side and St Mirren had a free kick deep in the Queens half.
Mallan stepped in to take it and floated the ball into the box where it met the head of Gary MacKenzie. The defender headed into the path of his defensive partner Ben Gordon who swung a leg at it and watched as it deflected beyond Robinson.
Saints grew more confident but only after Jake Pickard wasted a huge chance for the Doonhamers. Dobbie bounded down the right and found Pickard in plenty of space but the youngster scooped the ball over.
MacKenzie almost joined his defensive partner on the scoresheet as he smashed the ball from the outside the box. It looked to be firing in to the corner of the net but Robinson made a fantastic save to deny the big defender his first Saints goal. From the corner, Morgan had a shot which ended up nestling into the arms of the keeper.
The game went back and forth with goalscorer Gordon doing brilliantly to deny Lyle what would have been a tap in as he cleared the cross ball. It was then The Buddies chance to go close as a looping Magennis header forced Robinson to tip over the bar. As the game continued to ebb and flow it was Queens who went close to going in front again as Dobbie was sniffing out a hat-trick. The striker burst into the box and it took a wonderful save from Gallacher to deny him the match ball.
Saints looked the more dominant and the manager made positive substitutions as the game was being stretched with Ryan Hardie and Calum Gallagher coming on for Rocco Quinn and Kyle McAllister.
With time ticking away it looked like the Buddies would have to settle for a point. But in the dying embers they won a corner. Initially it was cleared but only as far as Morgan who laid the ball off for Mallan who took a touch before firing it into the back of the net. The travelling Saints supporters were delirious as they ran to the trackside to celebrate with the players. It was no more than the team, or the supporters, deserved as St Mirren now look to climb up the Ladbrokes Championship.
Full Time: Queen of the South 2-3 St Mirren
St Mirren: Gallacher, Naismith, Gordon, MacKenzie, Irvine, Quinn (Hardie,73), Magennis, McAllister (Gallagher, 83), Mallan, Morgan, Sutton (Shankland,)
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Clarkson, McLear, Stewart
Queen of the South: Robinson, Hamill, Marshall, Dowie, Brownlie, Higgins, Anderson (Carmichael, 66) , Millar (Brotherston, 83), Lyle, Dobbie, Dykes (Pickard, 49)
Subs Not Used: Atkinson, Hooper, Moxon, Bell
Referee: Crawford Allan
Assistant Referee: Gary Hilland
Assistant Referee: Ryan Oliver
Attendance: 1,147
Match Gallery Pictures by John Millar - © millarpictures
