St Mirren saved their European qualification hopes alive with a cushty 2-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice.
Mikael Mandron opened the scoring for the Buddies within the first half, with Jonah Ayunga sealing the win after the break.
The victory strikes St Mirren to inside two factors of United, who presently sit in fifth within the Premiership desk – the final European spot – with simply two video games of the season remaining.
Mikael Mandron celebrates after opening the scoring for St Mirren
The hosts made two adjustments to the facet which misplaced at Hibernian final week, with Kristijan Trapanovski and Glenn Middleton coming in for Jort van der Sande and David Babunski.
The Buddies additionally made two alterations to the workforce which beat Aberdeen final Saturday, with Roland Idowu and Caolan Boyd-Munce changing Oisin Smyth and the injured Mark O’Hara.
The guests have been the primary to threaten within the seventh minute when Mandron despatched a 25-yard roller simply previous dwelling goalkeeper Jack Walton’s right-hand publish.
United carved out a gap of their very own when Will Ferry discovered skipper Ross Docherty contained in the St Mirren field, however the midfielder’s shot was saved by St Mirren keeper Zach Hemming.
The hosts then handed up one of the best alternative of the match to date within the fifteenth minute when Middleton discovered Sam Dalby with a pinpoint cross from the left, nonetheless, the striker headed over with the aim at his mercy.
The pendulum swung St Mirren’s approach once more with Richard Taylor heading over earlier than Walton needed to make an outstanding save to maintain out an Ayunga shot.
Nevertheless, the house keeper couldn’t forestall Stephen Robinson’s facet from taking the lead within the thirty first minute. Ryan Alebiosu teed up Mandron on the fringe of the United field and this time, the striker’s low shot nestled within the backside nook of Walton’s web.
Three minutes after the restart, the hosts had one other nice alternative when Docherty threaded the ball by way of to Dalby however the striker’s shot missed the goal.
Dalby threatened once more shortly after when he obtained his head to a Ferry free-kick, nonetheless, Hemming pulled off an acrobatic save to disclaim the entrance man.
United have been positively on the entrance foot now with Middleton sending a snapshot flying simply extensive.
St Mirren lastly produced a possibility of their very own, however Alebiosu’s low shot was fantastically saved by the diving Walton.
Nevertheless, the house keeper was choosing the ball out of his web within the 66th minute when Idowu discovered Ayunga, who beat dwelling defender Emmanuel Adegboyega earlier than calmly slotting low previous Walton to place the Buddies again within the driving seat.
St Mirren ought to have made it three within the 78th minute, however Killian Phillips blasted over.
What the managers stated…
St Mirren supervisor Stephen Robinson: “I assumed the efficiency was excellent and it ought to have been extra.
“All we have stated is we’ll attempt to proceed to win soccer matches and see the place it takes us.
“We simply have to hold performing. The pleasing side for me is we deserved it, the efficiency was very, excellent and a few of the soccer was excellent, so we’ll simply hold doing that and see the place it takes us.
“That is the best factors tally, I feel, in trendy historical past for St Mirren. It is higher than final yr, so we hold doing that and we continue to grow and see the place it takes us.”
Dundee United supervisor Jim Goodwin: “It appeared as if St Mirren had a bit extra vitality and a bit extra freshness. I feel this season has caught up with one or two of us.
“I do not wish to take something away from St Mirren as a result of they completely deserved the win at present.
“With out making excuses, we have got too many gamers simply not at 100 per cent taking part in by way of accidents. I feel that is been manifestly apparent within the final couple of fixtures.
“We have got two huge video games to return. Clearly, there’s not an excessive amount of time to recuperate. We all know how troublesome the duty goes to be midweek and subsequent Saturday towards an excellent Aberdeen workforce.”
