Star Saint: Kenny McLean

The midfielder was excellent and fully merited his two goals. McLean showed plenty of bravery to convert St Mirren’s second penalty following Jim Goodwin’s earlier miss.

Match Facts

Score - St Mirren 4 St Johnstone 3

Scorers - McLean (8), MacLean (17), McGowan (59), Hasselbaink (61) McLean (76), Fallon (84), Thompson (89) Bookings - Wright (44) van Zanten (60), MacLean (87), Cregg (88), Goodwin (90+2)

Red carded - Wright (76)

Referee - Willie Collum

Attendance - 3,739

Teams: St Mirren (4-1-4-1): Dilo, van Zanten (Caprice 69), Mair, Newton, Kelly, Goodwin (Harkins (90+3), McGregor, McGinn, Thompson, McGowan, McLean. Subs not used – Cornell, Naismith, Grainger, Reilly, Bahoken.

St Johnstone (4-4-2): Mannus, MacKay, Wright, Millar, McDonald (Fallon 79), MacLean (Cregg 86), Wotherspoon, Hasselbaink (Scobbie 77), May, Miller, Easton. Subs not used – Banks, Brown, Edwards, Caddis.

to make the save.

There was another spot kick when McGowan went to ground after a nudge in the box from Wright as they chased a Goodwin header upfield.

Wright had been booked earlier but this time referee Willie Collum flashed a straight red.

McLean stepped up to send Mannus the wrong way for 3-2.

Keeper Dilo picked up a knock when he tried to come for an Easton free-kick.

He needed treatment from physio Gerry Docherty and, when play resumed, he looked a little uncertain.

Seconds later, it was 3-3 when May flashed a cross to the back post and sub Fallon was on hand to send it high into the net.

However, the pendulum swung in the home team’s favour when a McLean freekick into the dangerzone was knocked on by Darren McGregor to Thompson and the big striker cracked it home for 4-3.