Saints' 12 game unbeaten home run came to a disappointing end with defeat to Hibernian.
It looked as if neither team would score on a difficult day for playing football but the visitors found a way through with less than 15 minutes left. Élie Youan gathered up a great pass from Ewan Henderson and held off his marker before slamming the ball past Trevor Carson via the post. In the process, he ensured Hibs would be the first team to leave Paisley with all three points since Motherwell back in July.
Saints boss Stephen Robinson had stuck with the side that saw off Aberdeen during the week, Curtis Main once again being joined in attack by Alex Greive with goal hero Declan Gallagher on the bench alongside new signings Tony Watt and Thierry Small. Lewis Stevenson made a record breaking 450th appearance for the visitors, who replaced the injured Kevin Nisbet with Harry McKirdy.
Hibs controlled the early stages, Trevor Carson doing well to get down to turn away Élie Youan's low shot before Josh Campbell had a long range shot deflected wide. Campbell had the visitors' next attempt, his effort looking goal-bound before Mark O'Hara helped it wide. Scott Tanser was first to test David Marshall at the other end but the veteran goalie saved easily.
The wind and rain were making it difficult for both teams with chances at a premium. Aiden McGeady had a threatening run brought to an abrupt end by Tanser just outside the box. The veteran winger's free-kick was so good that for a few seconds the visiting fans behind the opposite goal thought he had curled it into the top corner rather than narrowly off target. Moments later Curtis Main saw his low drive palmed away by Marshall as Saints enjoyed their first real spell of pressure, the striker then pouncing on some slack play from McGeady to burst forward before blazing over.
The poor conditions continued after the break as Marshall gathered a cross-come-shot from Greg Kiltie. CJ Egan-Riley volleyed wide after Will Fish had headed down a Hibs free-kick before Tanser hooked a shot over from O'Hara's cross. Midway through the half Youan had a go at providing a spectacular opener, his acrobatic effort from sub Chris Cadden's cross not far wide of goal. Youan then slid a ball through for Matthew Hoppe, who had replaced the injured McKirdy early on, but his shot was no problem for Carson.
There was little the keeper could do a few minutes later as Hibs made the break through. A tremendous cross-field pass from sub Ewan Henderson found Youan and he held off the challenge of his defender before firing home with some help from the post, to the delight of the Hibs fans behind the goal. Saints had the best part of a quarter of an hour to find an equaliser but created nothing of note, Marshall having little to do to ensure he kept a clean sheet and his side took all three points.
Full-Time: St Mirren 0-1 Hibernian
St Mirren: Carson, Fraser, Gogic, Dunne, Strain, Baccus, Kiltie (Small 80), O'Hara (c), Tanser (Offord 81), Greive (Watt 67), Main
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, R.Taylor, Gallagher, Flynn, F.Taylor, Gilmartin
Hibernian: Marshall, Egan-Riley, Fish, Hanlon, Stevenson, Jeggo, Newell (Henderson 69), Campbell, McGeady (Cadden 57), Youan, McKirdy (Hoppe 18)
Subs Not Used: Johnson, Miller, Cabraja, Jair, MacIntyre, O'Connor
Referee: Matthew MacDermid
Assistant Referee: Steven Traynor
Assistant Referee: Chris Rae
Fourth Official: Barry Cook
VAR: William Collum
Assistant VAR: John McCrossan
Attendance: 7,253
