Caolan Boyd-Munce's injury-time goal saw St Mirren make it three wins from three as the Buddies secured a first league win over Rangers in 13 years.
Oisin Smyth's first-half penalty had the Saints deservedly in front at half-time, but a rejuvenated Rangers levelled the scores just after the hour mark when substitute Danilo scored. The Buddies kept going and grabbed yet another late goal when Boyd-Munce lasered a strike into the bottom corner of the net to secure all three points in Paisley.
St Mirren hadn't won against the Glasgow side in league action since a famous Christmas Eve victory back in 2011 when goals from Aaron Mooy and Paul McGowan saw us win 2-1 at The SMiSA Stadium. This time it was a late Christmas present for the Saints faithful with the three points moving Stephen Robinson's men up to fifth in the William Hill Premiership.
Marcus Fraser captained the side in his 200th appearance, while Declan John, fresh from agreeing an extension until the end of the season, made his first start with Scott Tanser suspended. Alex Gogic and Toyosi Olusanya returned to the starting lineup as they replaced Alex Iacovitti and Mikael Mandron.
The Buddies started the game brightly but it would take until just after the half-hour mark for the game to really spark into life. Greg Kiltie beat the offside trap to burst on to a ball over the top. Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland raced off his line and clattered into the forward which saw referee David Dickinson award Saints a penalty and book the 'Gers stopper.
Jack Butland fouls Greg Kiltie (Image: Allan Picken)
Smyth, who scored the winner against Ross County at the weekend, was the man to take and he was composed from the spot, sending Butland the wrong way to give the Buddies a deserved lead going into half-time.
Oisin Smyth celebrates goal with Killian Phillips, Alex Gogic and Elvis Bwomono (Image: Allan Picken)
Rangers came out the traps quickly at the start of the second-half. Their captain James Tavernier was inches away from levelling with a free-kick from 25 yards that curled just wide of Ellery Balcombe's right-hand post. The Saints goalkeeper was forced into action a minute later when he was forced to push away a dangerous Tavernier cross. The ball fell to Hamza Igamane but he got it all wrong as he flashed over. That opportunity had come just after a half-decent opportunity for Saints when Roland Idowu did well to chop inside but his low effort was straight at Butland.
The visitors were seeing most of the ball in the opening exchanges of the second 45 and Balcombe had to be alert on 53 minutes to hold a deflected strike from Rangers substitute Danilo. The goalkeeper then down quickly to claw away an effort from the forward just a few minutes later.
Rangers' pressure eventually told as they drew level just after the hour mark. A stramash in the box following a corner saw a bit of pinball before Danilo fired through a ruck of bodies to make it 1-1.
The Light Blues came close twice in quick succession as they tried to hit the front. Igamane should have done better when he was found in space inside the box on 67 minutes but he flashed well over. Three minutes later Vaclav Cerny let fly from distance and his effort whistled just over the bar.
But after a sustained period of pressure, Saints started to grow back into the match. Smyth saw an effort deflected wide on 72 minutes before substitute Iacovitti's header from the resulting corner came agonisingly close as it smacked off the underside of the bar.
Stephen Robinson made two changes with less than 10 minutes remaining when he introduced St Mirren Youth Academy players Callum Penman and Evan Mooney. Penman was making his first-team bow, while Mooney burst on to the scene in our win over St Johnstone a little over a week ago when he scored an 87th minute equaliser.
As has become customary with St Mirren over recent weeks, there was to be late drama at The SMiSA Stadium. Another earlier substitute, Jonah Ayunga, did brilliantly to slide in and steal the ball from Dujon Sterling in the middle of the park. He charged forward at speed and expertly picked out Mooney with a low cross into the box. The youngster composed himself to get the ball under control before laying it to Boyd-Munce who guided a fierce strike low and hard to Butland's left into the bottom corner of the net to wrap up all three points on Boxing Day.
Caolan Boyd-Munce celebrates winner with Marcus Fraser (Image: Allan Picken)
Full-Time: St Mirren 2-1 Rangers
St Mirren: Balcombe, Fraser (c), Gogic, Taylor, Bwomono (Iacovitti 63), Phillips, Smyth, John (Penman 83), Idowu (Boyd-Munce 74), Olusanya (Mooney 83), Kiltie (Ayunga 63)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Kenny, Scott, Mandron
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier (c), Sterling, Balogun (Propper 19), Jefte (Yilmaz 78), Barron (Raskin 46), Diomande, Cerny, Bajrami (Danilo 46), Hagi, Igamane (Dessers 82)
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Cortes, Dowell, McCausland,
Referee: David Dickinson
Assistant Referee: Chris Rae
Assistant Referee: Paul O'Neill
Fourth Official: Greg Soutar
VAR: Gavin Duncan
Attendance: 7,175
