Result leaves fans little to cheer about
Star Saint: Stevie Mallan Match Facts
- Dundee Utd 3 St Mirren2 Spittal (25), Kuate (68), Murray (71) ; MacKenzie (7), Stelios (90) Craig Charleston 6,225
Bell, Allardice (Kuate 46), Robson, Edjenduele, Durnan, Flood, Murdoch, Spittal (Donaldson 90), Andreu, Murray, Mikkelson. Subs not used: Zwick, Dixon, Telfer, Coote and Nicholls.
O’Brien, Irvine (Stelios 77), Eckersley, Baird, MacKenzie, McGinn, Mallan, Magennis, Smith (Sutton 69), Morgan, Loy (Todd 79). Subs not used: Langfield, Webster, Storie and Quinn.
But O’Brien appeared to be at fault as United again fired themselves in front.
An apparent clearance/ pass from McGinn from 45 yards was picked up inside the box by the keeper, with referee Charleston ruling it to be a pass back.
There were few protests coming from those in the black strips of the Buddies.
And Tony Andreu was on hand to blast home the resulting in-direct free-kick after being teed up by Spittal.
Mallan came close to restoring parity with another free-kick soon after but found Bell in fine form to palm the ball around the post.
Jack Ross flung on John Sutton, Stelios and Josh Todd in a bid to get Saints back on level terms as the game entered its closing stages, but they were finding chances hard to come by.
And his decision appeared to pay dividends in 85 minutes when Todd fired home the equaliser into the top corner on the angle after McGinn had seen his initial strike blocked by William Edjenduele.
All Saints had to do now was hold on for what would potentially prove a crucial point. They had been well worth it, but right on 90 minutes United struck the winner in sickening fashion.
Saints again failed to clear their lines and Spittal was on hand to stroke home into the bottom corner to seal the points for the hosts.