St Mirren scored two late goals to avoid a shock exit at the hands of East Kilbride in the first round of the IRN-BRU Cup.
Saints had dominated the match but failed to find a breakthrough before Dominic McLaren scored with less than 10 minutes to go to send the Lowland League side into the lead.
The Buddies were staring exit in the face before Ross Stewart levelled on 87 minutes. The game was poised for extra time when Lewis Morgan popped up deep in injury to snatch a 2-1 victory that sees the St Mirren in the draw for the next round.
Saints started well with new boy Darryl Duffy testing Jacob Kean in the East Kilbride goal with a header on four minutes after he got on the end of Cammy Smith's ball in.
Smith then went close himself a minute later with a goal-bound effort that was headed off the line.
Ross Stewart will have been disappointed not to have opened the score twice within the space of a minute. The striker was first on the end of a Cammy Smith cut back and fired over at close range with the goal gaping. Then, less than 60 seconds later, he was the recipient of a great ball in from debutant Liam Smith. He nodded towards goal but his header was clawed over by Kean.
Kean, deputising for the McGinley, was having the game of his life and made a super stop to deny Ian McShane a first St Mirren goal. The midfielder rushed into the box to meet an Adam Eckersley cross with his head but again the goalkeeper was in hand to keep the score goalless.
The returning Eckersley was the next to be denied as Kean palmed his cross-cum-shot away from goal just before the match reached half time.
Half Time: St Mirren 0-0 East Kilbride
After a slow start to the first second half Saints took control after the manager made two substitutions. On came Gavin Reilly and Stelios Demetriou, with the former thwarted by the goalkeeper a little after the hour mark. The striker burst into the box and looked certain to finally put Saints in front, but once again Kean was there to push the attempt away.
And Kean would continue to frustrate the Buddies as he denied Lewis Morgan after the winger drove forward and went low with his effort only to see the goalkeeper flick it by the post.
Saints were huffing and puffing but East Kilbride's house just wouldn't blow down. Reilly looked certain to score when he was found in space but his shot was deflected wide before Ross Stewart leaped to reach a cross only to see it come off the post.
And then, all of a sudden against the run of play, the visitors took a shock lead with just 10 minutes to go. Dominic McLaren rose above the St Mirren defence to head the Lowland League side in front from a corner kick.
It was scarcely believable given the previous 80 minutes of play with the Buddies now on the verge of inconceivable exit from the competition. But still St Mirren pressed on and were rewarded when Ross Stewart finally breached the stubborn Lowland League side's defence to level the scores. The striker nipped in ahead of the East Kilbride defence to lift the ball over the goalkeeper to restore parity.
Saints pushed and pushed to score to avoid extra-time. Once again Kean was imperious on the 90 minute mark as he inexplicably turned away a Reilly shot at the far post.
But there was yet another twist in the tail as Morgan picked the ball up after a scramble in the box and squeezed the ball in at the near post to put Saints into the next round.
Full Time: St Mirren 2-1 East Kilbride
St Mirren: Stewart, L. Smith, Baird, Buchanan, Eckersley (Stelios 57) , Morgan, McShane, McGinn, C.Smith (Kirkpatrick 75), Stewart, Duffy (Reilly 56)
Subs Not Used: Samson, Irvine, O'Keefe, Sutton
East Kilbride: Kean, Stevenson, Coll, Russell, McLaren, Gibbons, Corrieri (Ferris 66), McLeish (Anderson 75), Coogans (Campbell 66), Hughes, Strachan
Subs Not Used: McGinley, McNeil, Robertson, Beattie
Referee: John McKendrick
Assistant Referee: Kylie McMullan
Assistant Referee: Jordan Paterson
Attendance: 1357
