SAINTS SUFFER AS
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box. He took an age to pull the trigger though and the excellent chance was spurned, much to Goodwin’s disdain on the touchline.
The visitors were offering very little in terms of attacking intent, with the majority of their chances coming from long throws.
The feeling was growing that the Saints would have to make the most of their dominance while they were still on top.
Oakley picked up his first booking of the match after a very late tackle on Flynn that left him in a crumpled heap.
Hamilton almost took the lead against the run of play shortly after. Marios Ogkmpoe was released down the right wing and his cross was only narrowly diverted wide by Broadfoot, who almost scored in the wrong net on his first start back at the Simple Digital Arena.
Tony Andreu then won a free-kick in a dangerous area after a cynical foul. Durmus fired a fizzing ball into the six yard box, but it was diverted just behind for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Broadfoot had a header that was comfortably saved by Owain Fon-Williams.
Magennis then took a snap shot from 30 yards which was blocked well by an Accies defender.
With chances drying up towards the end of the first half, left- back Calum Waters whipped across a wicked ball that was frustratingly allowed to swing across the box untouched.
Scott McMann then nutmegged Durmus at the other end of the pitch in a rare moment of quality, but his cross was easily held by Vaclav Hladky.
Just before the break, St Mirren came to life again. Waters fired in another dangerous cross that was headed away desperately by an Accies defender. From the resulting corner, Andreu found Magennis, but his left foot strike sailed harmlessly over the bar.
Morias was then released through the middle and had a gilt-edged chance to put the Saints ahead.
The Englishman tumbled inside the box under pressure from Brian Easton and, with the entire stadium — bar the few hundred Hamilton fans — screaming for a penalty, referee David Munro waved away the claims.
Hamilton almost sneaked the lead just before the half-time whistle from a corner, but Alex Gogic’s header arrowed narrowly wide.
St Mirren were handed an absolute dream start to the second half when Oakley clumsily barged into McLaughlin early on. The referee had no hesitation in giving him his second yellow card, giving St Mirren a man advantage that should have proven pivotal.
Centre- back McLaughlin then took matters into his own hands, sending a fine strike narrowly over the bar from all of 30