St Mirren made it four wins from their last six league matches with their second win of the season over Queen of the South at Palmerston.
Goals from Stevie Mallan and Rory Loy either side of half time were enough to secure another valuable three points in the Championship relegation battle.
However, it was the home team who started the brighter of the two when Stephen Dobbie had the first opportunity. The veteran striker picked the ball up around 20 yards from goal but curled his effort straight into the arms of Billy O'Brien.
Queens were on the ascendancy in the early proceedings and went close again with just 11 minutes on the clock when Dominic Thomas saw an attempt come crashing off the cross bar after being laid off by Lyndon Dykes.
Thomas was causing problems and his ball across nearly saw Saints concede as it came off Adam Eckersley's head, beating O'Brien, before smacking off the post with the defender racing to clear off the line.
And it was Thomas again presenting the danger with O'Brien having to be alert as he tipped the winger's shot over after the St Mirren defence had failed to clear its lines from earlier attacking play.
The closest Saints had come in the match came two minutes later from a corner attack. Lewis Morgan, so often the out ball during the match, burst into the box and had a go seeing his goalbound effort blocked by Andy Dowie.
But it was St Mirren who would take the lead just before the end of the first half. Cammy Smith burst forward and picked out Morgan who was charging down the left side. The winger put his ball into the box searching for Rory Loy and Smith, who had continued his run into the box, but neither could get on the end of it. However, it fell kindly for Mallan who took a touch to steady himself before blasting it low into the net to put Saints in front heading into the break.
Half Time: Queen of the South 0-1 St Mirren
The second half got off to a slow start but the Buddies would be two goals to the good less than ten minutes after the interval when Loy netted from the penalty spot.
Morgan, so often St Mirren's greatest threat in the match, was pulled back by Scott Mercer after breaking into the box and getting to the byline. Saints had every penalty they had been awarded this season but there was no mistake from Loy as he sent Atkinson the wrong way to double the visitors advantage.
St Mirren's tails were up, evidenced by an ambitious attempt from Mallan as he had a go from inside his own half after spotting Atkinson off his line, but it floated well wide.
Gary MacKenzie got on the end of two corners around the hour mark and will feel he should have done better when he rose to meet the second one heading over the bar.
Saints were well in control now and the impressive Kyle Magennis almost bagged a his second St Mirren goal after a great solo run. The midfielder - who scored his first senior goal at Palmerston earlier this season - burst forward before smashing it from outside the box only to see it pushed away by the Queens goalkeeper.
The hosts made a few substitutions in the hopes of salvaging something from the match but on both occasions O'Brien was equal to them - denying Dobbie and Dale Hilson.
In the end, Saints ran out comfortable winners and while today may not have been the day that Saints came off the bottom, they have given themselves a good opportunity to do so in the coming weeks.
Full Time: Queen of the South 0-2 St Mirren
St Mirren: O'Brien, Irvine, Baird, MacKenzie, Eckersley, McGinn, Mallan, Magennis (Storie 84), Smith (Stelios 90), Morgan, Loy (Sutton 79)
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Webster, Fjelde, Todd
Queen of the South: Atkinson, Marshall, Dowie, Higgins, Rankin (Hilson 70) , Jacobs, Thomson, Thomas (Murray 82), Mercer, Dykes (Lyle 68) , Dobbie
Subs Not Used: Copland, Hamill, Fergusson, Carmichael
Referee: Andrew Dallas
Assistant Referee: Graeme Leslie
Assistant Referee: Barry Reid
Attendance: 1,728
Match report pictures by John Millar - © millarpictures
