Saints recorded their first home win of 2025 with a five star performance against Kilmarnock.
The goal rush started with barely five minutes on the clock, Caloan Boyd-Munce setting himself up to slot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Incredibly, the second was just a few minutes away with Roland Idowu doing the honours from the spot after Jonah Ayunga had been fouled by Lewis Mayo.
Richard Taylor and Jonah Ayunga went close to getting the third but it was Boyd-Munce who had that honour as he rattled in a shot from the edge of the area after Killie only partially cleared a corner. That settled any nerves that may have been appearing, skipper Mark O'Hara pinging in the fourth before Declan John celebrated his new contract with a tremendous strike for fifth. The only blot on the copybook came a few minutes from the end when Bruce Anderson scored from the spot after Richard Taylor fouled Joe Wright, but it made little difference as the Buddies beat the Ayrshire men for the first time in more than four years.
With Mikael Mandron only fit enough for a place on the bench and Toyosi Olusanya suspended, few Saints fans would have expected a front pairing of Idowu and Ayunga – but it was an inspired move as the Buddies made a storming start in the wind and the rain. The pair combined to tee up Boyd-Munce, who had time to switch the ball onto his favoured foot and slot it beyond the reach of Robby McCrorie from the edge of the box.
Caolan Boyd-Munce puts us ahead (Image: Jeff Holmes)
The cheers had barely died down before Ayunga was on the move again, appearing to get the better of Mayo before going down under the defender's challenge. Ref Nick Walsh pointed to the spot, VAR eventually confirming the decision, and after having to re-spot the ball due to the wind Idowu sent McCrorie the wrong way to put the Buddies into dreamland inside 10 minutes.
Roland Idowu netted from the penalty spot (Image: Allan Picken)
After that incredible start, the game unsurprisingly settled down, Killie desperately hunting for a way back into the game. They should have halved the deficit midway through the half when Liam Donnelly delivered a fine cross for the unmarked Liam Polworth but he somehow headed over. Declan John's dangerous corner could have provided Saints with a third but no one was able to touch it home before Killian Phillips threatened with a deflected shot that McCrorie did well to hold. There was also another penalty shout when Ryan Alebiosu seemed to be bundled over, however this time the officials were unmoved.
An even better chance for the third arrived early in the second half. After Killie initially dealt with a Saints corner, the ball was worked back to Boyd-Munce who delivered a fantastic ball to Taylor at the back post, but his effort was brilliantly turned onto the bar by McCrorie with the defender unable to force home the rebound. Ayunga then pounced on a slack Killie pass and burst forward, has shot being deflected into the air before being palmed away by McCrorie. He was merely delaying the inevitable, John's corner being knocked as far as Boyd-Munce at the edge of the box and he fired through a ruck of legs for his second and Saints third – although there was a slight panic while VAR investigated a possible offside.
Saints were by no means finished. Alebiosu did brilliantly to get the better of his man at the byline and then pull the ball back for Mark O'Hara who, like Boyd-Munce earlier, had all the time needed to get the ball onto his stronger foot before placing it into the bottom corner for his first goal since October.
Mark O'Hara scores Saints' fourth (Image: Jeff Holmes)
Five minutes later, John took a wonderful first touch to control a fine pass before thundering it past McCrorie as Saints hit five in a home top flight match for the first time since September 2012.
Declan John celebrates (Image: Allan Picken)
Unfortunately, they were unable to cap a fine display with a clean sheet as Taylor gave away a penalty for a foul on Joe Wright late on, Bruce Anderson thumping it down the middle to give those away fans who hadn't already headed home something to cheer.
Full-Time: St Mirren 5-1 Kilmarnock
St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser (Kenny 80), Gogic, Taylor, Alebiosu, Phillips (Kiltie 73), Boyd-Munce (Smyth 73), O'Hara (c), John (Tanser 80), Idowu (Oseni 73), Ayunga
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Adeniran, Scott, Mandron
Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Lyons (Watson 46), Mayo, Wright, Ndaba (Deas 63), Murray, Polworth (Wales 63), Donnelly, Kennedy (McKenzie 73), Anderson, Watkins (Findlay 73)
Subs Not Used: O'Hara, Armstrong, Cameron, Ramsay
Referee: Nick Walsh
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane
Assistant Referee: Calum Spence
Fourth Official: Stewart Luke
VAR: Steven McLean
Attendance: 7,542
