Flashback Saints suffer Killie defeat
With St Mirren out of action during the international break, we’re looking back at the last four games of the 2013/14 season which saw Danny Lennon’s Buddies battling to beat the drop.
Today is part three, with the Saints facing Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on May 7, 2014 after picking up a point against Partick Thistle and a precious win over Ross County that went on to secure their top flight status.
St Mirren’s five- game unbeaten run came to an end at a rain-drenched Rugby Park.
Predatory striker Kris Boyd nabbed his 21st goal of the season with a first-half strike – and it was a lead Allan Johnston’s side would not relinquish.
James Fowler was ordered off with three minutes remaining for his second booking of the night after a cynical foul on Sean Kelly, but despite their numerical advantage Saints simply could not find a late leveller.
The result still left St Mirren safely sitting three points ahead of Hibs in the relegation play-off spot, with Killie going on to play the Easter Road side in the final game of the season to decide which would face a nerve-racking end to their campaign.
Early on in the game Vitalijs Maksimenko sliced a clearance over his crossbar from Kenny McLean’s cross, but the visitors could not take advantage from the resultant corner.
At the other end, goalkeeper Chris Dilo had to rely on a quick clearance to deny Rory McKenzie a glimpse of goal after Darren McGregor’s awkward passback failed to zip across the wet surface.
Midfielder McLean did get a shot away after 12 minutes but it drifted low and wide of Craig Samson’s right-hand post.
Then Kris Boyd missed a giltedged chance on the edge of the six-yard box a minute later, sending a side-footed effort agonisingly wide from McKenzie’s cross on the right.
Striker Steven Thompson headed wide from 12 yards as the Buddies sought to regain the initiative, before Killie keeper Samson almost gifted the visitors the opener.
McLean swung a free-kick into the box and Samson let it squirm from his grasp – but he did just enough at the second attempt to deny McGregor a free header.
But it was Killie who took the lead after 21 minutes when striker Boyd picked up Alexei Eremenko’s cross at the back post before sending a shot into the net via the post.
Dilo then had to prevent McKenzie from making it 2-0, taking his shot from 18 yards after the
Killie man waltzed beyond Marc McAusland over on the right-hand side.
Dilo was again forced to save a backward header from Boyd.
There was no doubting that Killie were the better side going into the half-time break and they could feel rightly aggrieved they were only one goal to the good.
Fowler sent a speculative effort just wide of the far post as Killie came out for the second 45 with renewed vigour.
Gregg Wylde and Josh Magennis were introduced after 59 minutes, replacing McGowan and Conor Newton.
McLean tested Samson with a free-kick from 35 yards, the former Buddies stopper diving to his left to palm it away, before the same player drove a left-foot shot from distance well over.
Left-sided ace Jackson Irvine sent a cute overhead kick over Dilo’s crossbar from a good position, before Gary Teale replaced McGinn with 13 minutes remaining.
Eremenko saw a low drive blocked by McAusland as Killie searched for a second goal that would surely wrap up the points.
Killie were dealt a blow when they were reduced to 10 men after Fowler’s foul on Kelly earned him a second caution of the night, but Saints never really looked like breaking them down.