STAR SAINT
as slim hopes of a comeback briefly appeared.
McGinn was the man leading by example, showing fantastic composure as he slammed home Erhahon’s header into the box on the half volley to give Saints hope.
Buoyed by their frantic end to the first period, St Mirren started the second half on the front foot.
Simeon Jackson went close but failed to get the crucial touch on a goal-bound Baird header.
The Canadian striker was again in the thick of the action moments later, hauled down by Accies defender Ziggy Gordon as he bombed through on goal, with ref Kevin Clancy incensing the home support by only flashing a yellow.
But still the momentum appeared to be in the Buddies’ favour as Magennis tried his luck with a volley that trundled wide of target after 53 minutes.
The manner of Saints’ play always left them open on the counter attack.
And the sucker-punch duly arrived two minutes later as Imrie played in Aaron McGowan to lay off to Keatings on the edge of the box.
The striker simply took a touch to take the ball away from Alfie Jones before curling a delightful effort into the top corner beyond a stranded Danny Rogers in goal.
Things went from bad to worse for the home side as Simeon Jackson saw red for a second yellow in quick succession, with the Saints bench raging with the first challenge never warranting a booking.
Cody Cooke came close to getting the Buddies back into the game but he couldn’t divert the ball goalward after a neat ball across the face of goal from Stephen McGinn.
Clancy soon incurred the wrath of the support in 77 minutes when he failed to send off Gordon for a late challenge on Danny Mullen, with a tackle identical to the one Jackson also saw red.
The Accies bench clearly knew the centre back was walking the tightrope and hooked him soon after as they strived to close the game out.
Despite not looking too dangerous in the closing stages, Mullen came within the woodwork of reducing the deficit with a stunning volley that clattered the crossbar with Mucha well beaten.
But that was as good as it got for the hosts in what proved to be another difficult week for a St Mirren side still in dire need of a run of form.
They’ll need to do better on Wednesday evening when they are back in action against Hibs. Match Facts
St Mirren 1 Hamilton Accies 3 Martin, Gordon, McGowan Jackson Kevin Clancy 4,334 St Mirren Rogers, Hodson, Baird, Jones, Erhahon, McShane (Edwards 34), S McGinn, P McGinn (Mullen 65), Magennis, Hammill (Cooke 58), Jackson. Subs not used: Lyness, Ferdinand, MacPherson, Smith. Mucha, McGowan, Kilgallon, Gordon (Tshiembe 79), McMann, Martin, MacKinnon, Imrie, Miller, Keatings (Boyd 65), Brustad (Bingham 72). Subs not used: Woods, Sowah, Taiwo, Bloomfield. Stephen McGinn The skipper never really put a foot wrong on a day where there was very little to write home about for the hosts. A great finish to get his side back into the game almost kick-started a revival akin to TNS – but a second-half sucker-punch was enough to stop any Saints uprising crudely in its tracks.