St Mirren lost only their second home league game of the season tonight, after a late comeback from Falkirk to make the score 2-1.
The Champions were winning with less than 10 minutes remaining, before some slack defending let The Bairns get back in the game and inevitably go on to win.
It was a particularly slow first half of the game, as both teams saw lots of the ball, but couldn't turn any possession into chances. The first glimpse of any action came from the visitors, when Louis Longridge went on a good run down the right hand wing and whipped in a good cross. However, the cross evaded everyone and eventually went out for a St Mirren throw in. The same happened with Saints, as Danny Mullen sprung free down the right, but he couldn't find Myles Hippolyte who was waiting in the box.
Falkirk had a few long range efforts on goal in a pretty dull first half. The first came from Joe McKee from a 35-yard freekick; he strikes the ball well, but it was never threatening Craig Samson's goal. Next up was Alex Jakubiak, when he created a bit of space on the edge of the area, but his effort was right at The Buddies keeper.
Half Time: St Mirren 0-0 Falkirk
The second half started a bit livelier with Saints creating a great opportunity within two minutes of the restart. A good ball into the box was met by the head of Danny Mullen who turned it goal-ward, but Joe Thomson was equal to it.
The deadlock was broken on the 54th minute, when a freekick from the left was delivered into the box and Alan Muir pointed to spot after Danny Mullen went down from a challenge from Bairns defender Paul Watson. Myles Hippolyte stepped up to the mark against his former team and sent the keeper the wrong way to make the score 1-0 to St Mirren.
Hippolyte could have doubled the score and his tally five minutes later. Stelios Demetriou made a run down the left wing and managed to cut in on Falkirk captain Aaron Muirhead, then played the ball to Hippolyte who was free - but the big forward just couldn't beat Thomson in the Falkirk goal as he parried it away.
The only other chance for St Mirren fell to Jack Baird from a corner. An in-swinging corner from Kyle Magennis was met at the back post from the towering central defender, but sub goalkeeper Conor Hazard managed to block the attempt and scramble the ball away for another corner.
Another penalty was awarded on the 81st minute, this time for Falkirk. There was an adjudged shove from Jack Baird, in similar fashion to the penalty that was awarded earlier. Lewis Kidd stepped up to the plate, but he was denied by a great save from Craig Samson, who was determined to hold on to his clean sheet record.
Sadly it wasn't to be though, as one minute later Falkirk equalised. After a cross came in to the back post Samson made a save, but the ball spilled to Joe McKee who only had to touch the ball into the empty net from three yards out to make the score 1-1.
As everyone thought the game was going to trickle out as a draw, Craig Sibbald had other ideas. After the ball made it's way down the left for Jakubiak, he put in a tempting ball again to the back post. Stelios seemed to get caught under the ball though, and Sibbald ran in to volley the ball into the back of the net on the 91st minute to give the Bairns all three points.
Full Time: St Mirren 1-2 Falkirk
St Mirren: Samson, Irvine, Baird, Donati, Stelios, McShane (Magennis 58), McGinn, Hill, Mullen (Morgan 69), Hippolyte, Reilly (C.Smith 80)
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Erhahon, Glover, Sutton
Falkirk: Thomson (Hazard 60), McGhee, Muirhead (Kidd, 70), Grant, Watson, McKee, Taiwo, Sibbald, Longridge, Harris (O'Hara 64), Jakubiak
Subs Not Used: Tumilty, Blair, Mitchell, Welsh
Referee: Alan Muir
Assistant Referee: Ivan Stankovic
Assistant Referee: Steven Traynor
Attendance: 3761
