Andy Dorman's first-half strike against Kilmarnock
gave St Mirren their first win at Rugby Park since 1992.
In the 38th minute of a turgid Clydesdale Bank
Premier League encounter, Dennis Wyness opened up the Ayrshire defence
with a clever pass giving Dorman the chance to drive low past Killie
keeper Alan Combe.
The home side huffed and puffed in an equally poor
second half but the Paisley side held on to record their third SPL win
in a row for the first time.
St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson, who celebrated five
years in permanent charge of the Buddies this week, will not care, but
it must have been a long time since any of the 5183 crowd had witnessed
such a poor game.
The first half, in particular, was best forgotten,
Saints' goal aside.
It was Wyness who registered the first effort on goal
of the afternoon after three minutes when he curled a shot from 20 yards
in to the arms of Combe.
But the home side responded positively and amid a
brief but intense spell of pressure, only a block from St Mirren
defender Jack Ross prevented Allan Russell's drive from 12 yards finding
the net.
The game developed in to a dour struggle, niggling
fouls interrupting any possible flow with too little
football being played in between.
In the 26th minute, Killie wide-man Garry Hay chipped
the ball in to the box where Allan Russell knocked it down to
strike-partner Donovan Simmonds.
In one move, the big striker, on loan from Coventry,
turned and sent a volley from 14 yards dipping just over the bar.
But Killie could not build on that isolated moment of
skill, failing to make another impression until 10 minutes before the
break when Russell had his angled shot from 18 yards easily saved by
Mark Howard.
And in the 38th minute, with the first half seemingly
destined to be goalless, the visitors took the lead with a well-worked
goal.
Wyness took a Franco Miranda pass at the edge of the
Killie box and played a clever pass in to the path of Dorman who drilled
his shot from 14 yards under Combe and in to the corner of the net.
The move and the finish shone like a beacon amid the
enveloping Rugby Park dullness.
To compound the blow, Killie defender Frazer Wright
came off immediately after with an injury to be replaced by Craig Bryson
and another reshuffle ensued.
Killie could have felt aggrieved at being down at the
interval.
Certainly, midfielder Gavin Skelton's wild,
speculative shot 20 seconds after the restart which went well wide of
the target indicated their determination to get back level as soon as
possible.
But the turgid football that characterised the first
half quickly returned, with both teams culpable.
The Killie supporters became frustrated, taking their
wrath out on referee Steven O'Reilly for any perceived mistake by the
official.
In the 57th minute Dorman had another effort after
Hamilton knocked the ball down to him inside the Killie penalty area but
this time his left-footed shot was easily gathered by Combe.
Moments later, the Rugby Park keeper had more to
worry about when Ross's drive from 30 yards skimmed his right-hand post.
In the Jefferies brought on Iain Flannigan for Jamie
Hamill while MacPherson replaced Jim Hamilton with Billy Mehmet.
Killie swarmed around the edge of the St Mirren box
without making Howard work and with that in mind, Jefferies then brought
on Conor Sammon for Russell with 10 minutes remaining.
The dying stages witnessed an increase in desperation
from the home side but it was St Mirren who almost doubled their lead
with three minutes remaining, Garry Brady's curling shot crashing off
the post before Combe blocked Mehmet's shot from the rebound with his
legs.
A last-minute tackle by St Mirren defender Scott
Cuthbert stopped Sammon going through on goal and with that, Killie's
last real chance was gone.
