St Mirren ended the year on a high with a brilliant victory away to Aberdeen in the cinch Premiership. Mark O'Hara, Jonah Ayunga and Greg Kiltie all scored as Saints defeated the Dons 3-0 at Pittodrie to secure our biggest league win on the road this season.
Lewis Jamieson and Mikael Mandron came in from the start in place of Toyosi Olusanya and Ayunga as the manager made two changes from Wednesday night's 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock.
The two changes looked lively in the opening exchanges and almost linked up to give us a lead inside the opening 10 minutes. A deep cross from Scott Tanser found Jamieson who nodded down for Mandron, but the big forward couldn't get enough on it to divert beyond Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelle Roos who gathered comfortably.
But the Buddies would take the lead just three minutes later when O'Hara fired us ahead from the edge of the area. It was a terrific strike from the skipper after Mandron's initial
The captain had a chance to double his and St Mirren's tally when Saints were awarded a penalty on 19 minutes following a VAR check. Jamieson's shot was blocked by the hand of Richard Jensen and referee Grant Irvine was sent to the pitchside monitor to check. The spot-kick was awarded, but O'Hara dragged wide of the target.
The home side looked to find their way back into it before the interval and in-form striker Bojan Miovski wasn't too far away with a volley that went wide of the left-hand post near the half hour mark. Zach Hemming was then called into action when he got down well to push away a powerful Clarkson strike at his near post on 32 minutes.
Saints started the second-half brightly and came close when Kiltie's low cross almost found Jamieson, but the youngster just couldn't connect and Aberdeen would eventually deal with the danger. The 21-year-old had another good opportunity to double Saints advantage when he was sent clear on a fast counter. Jamieson skipped by the challenge of Richard Jensen but his low shot was tame and allowed Roos to gather with relative ease.
A one-goal lead is always precarious and Hemming had to make a terrific save on 54 minutes when he got both hands behind a James McGarry strike to turn it wide as the Dons looked to pull themselves level.
Saints were dealt a blow just before the hour mark when goalscorer O'Hara pulled up with an injury. The skipper was checked out by St Mirren physio Gerry Docherty but had to come off with Caolan Boyd-Munce his replacement. Stephen Robinson made two further changes five minutes later when he introduced Olusanya and Ayunga in place of Jamieson and Mandron.
Aberdeen tried to find a leveller and came close with less than 20 minutes remaining when substitute Dante Polvara headed just wide of the target. But it was Saints who would go on to seal the win when Ayunga was on hand at the back post to meet a brilliant Tanser cross and slam into the net to double our lead.
The cherry on top of the cake was added when the Buddies were awarded a stoppage time penalty after a VAR intervention following a foul on Olusanya. Kiltie fired high into the net to make it 3-0 and send the delighted travelling support back to Paisley with all three points.
Greg Kiltie scores our final goal of 2023 to secure our win in Aberdeen
Full-Time: Aberdeen 0-3 St Mirren
St Mirren: Hemming, Bolton, Gogic, Taylor, Fraser, Baccus, O'Hara (c) (Boyd-Munce 59), Tanser, Kiltie, Mandron (Ayunga 64), Jamieson (Olusanya 64)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Dunne, Small, Flynn, Greive, Nahmani
Aberdeen: Roos, Gartenmann, Rubezic, Jensen (Morris 60), Devlin (Milne 61), McGrath, Clarkson, Shinnie (Polvara 60), McGarry (Hayes 81), Miovski, Duk (Sokler 72)
Subs Not Used: Doohan, Barron, Duncan, MacDonald
Referee: Grant Irvine
Assistant Referee: John McCrossan
Assistant Referee: Gordon McCabe
Fourth Official: Dan McFarlane
VAR: Greg Aitken
Attendance: 17,029
