St Mirren are into the hat for the Fifth Round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup after a professional performance at Palmerston Park.
A first-half double from Toyosi Olusanya saw Saints in control at the interval. The Buddies had chances to further extend their lead before Brennan Diceknson pulled a goal back for the hosts following a smart finish into the bottom corner. But an injury-time strike from Caolan Boyd-Munce secured a 3-1 win and Saints' place in the last 16 with a stoppage time goal.
17-year-old St Mirren Youth Academy graduate Callum Penman made his first start for St Mirren as he came in for Elvis Bwomono. There were three other changes for Saints with Oisin Smyth, Alex Gogic and Olusanya replacing in for Richard Taylor, Greg Kiltie and Roland Idowu.
Penman almost opened the scoring in fortuitous fashion on just seven minutes when his cross from the right almost found the top left corner of the net. Queen of the South goalkeeper Ross Stewart had to be at full-stretch to tip the ball away from danger.
Callum Penman impressed on his first St Mirren start (Image: Allan Picken)
The Buddies were forced into an early substitution when Alex Iacovitti suffered a hamstring injury and was replaced by Taylor on nine minutes.
Saints took the lead just a minute after the change. A long throw from Callum Penman was headed to the back post by a Queen of the South defender who was trying to clear, but it only found Olusanya and he slid in to knock into the net from close-range to score his ninth of the season.
Olusanya added his 10th of the season, and his second of the afternoon, when he doubled the Buddies lead a little over 10 minutes after his opener, Penman's delivery was brilliant and matched by a terrific header from Olusanya.
Toyosi Olusanya celebrates his second goal (Image: Allan Picken)
Oisin Smyth almost directly from a corner as the game headed towards the half-time break, while Mikey Hewitt had a massive opportunity in the final moments of the first-half to pull one back for the Doonhamers. The defender rose the highest to meet a cross from the left, but he stuck it straight into the arms of Zach Hemming.
Saints could have added a third seven minutes after the interval when a brilliant Smyth ball in from the left found an unmarked Killian Phillips, but the Irishman headed wide of target.
Mandron had the chance to add his name on the scoresheet just beyond the hour mark when he raced on to a nice through ball from Mark O'Hara. The forward attempted to lift over Stewart though the Queen's goalkeeper made himself big to block.
Queen of the South pulled a goal back with 15 minutes remaining when Brennan Dickenson rifled home from 18 yards. Kyle Doherty's cross was headed back across goal by Matty Douglas. Taylor met that but headed clear only as far as Dickenson who volleyed it low into the net.
Saints would ensure there was no cup shock on the cards with Boyd-Munce securing our place in the Fifth Round in stoppage time. A quick counter saw Mark O'Hara send substitute Owen Oseni on the break. He slid a nice ball forward to Boyd-Munce who, first time, fired high into the net to see us into the next round.
Caolan Boyd-Munce adds a third for Saints (Image: Allan Picken)
Full-Time: Queen of the South 1-3 St Mirren
St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Iacovitti (Taylor 9), Penman (John 82), Phillips (Boyd-Munce 70), Smyth, O'Hara (c), Tanser, Mandron, Olusanya (Oseni 70)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Kiltie, Idowu, Mooney
Queen of the South: Stewart, Hewitt, Brydon, Douglas (c), Hannah (Cochrane 68), MacIntyre, Lyon, Luissint (Bryden 80), Doherty, Dickenson, Brooks
Subs Not Used: Bowie, McKechnie, McIntosh, O'Donnell, Walker
Referee: Ryan Lee
Assistant Referee: Ross MacLeod
Assistant Referee: Scott Anderson
Attendance: 2,567
