Match Report: St Mirren 1-2 Hibernian

Match Report: St Mirren 1-2 Hibernian

Junior Morias' first St Mirren goal wasn't enough to prevent the Buddies falling to a frustrating defeat at home to Hibernian. 

Saints created numerous chances throughout the 90 minutes but it was goals either side of half-time from Christian Doidge and substitute Stevie Mallan that gave the visitors a narrow 2-1 win.

The Buddies started on the front foot with Ilkay Durmus had the first half-chances - sending well wide from distance on four minutes before slipping on the edge of the box a few minutes later and seeing his resultant effort trickle wide. 

Saints had the best chance of the match on 24 minutes when a brilliant ball in from Calum Waters on the left-hand side met Kyle Magennis in the box. The midfielder rose the highest but headed over from six yards. 

Two minutes later it was Durmus' turn to send a pinpoint cross in from the same position as Waters. The Turkish winger's ball found Ryan Flynn at the back post. Flynn's effort was blocked with Sean McLoughlin screwing a header wide from the resultant corner.

And despite Saints' chances it was Hibernian who took the lead just two minutes later. Christian Doidge kept his good run of goalscoring form for the visitors when he headed the opener from ex-Saint Jason Naismith's cross. It appeared to take a slight deflection off the head of Gary MacKenzie as it looped over Vaclav Hladky. 

Jon Obika should have gone one-on-one with Maxwell five minutes after Hibernian's opener when the ball fell kindly into his path, but the big striker got the ball caught up in his feet and could only win a corner. Saints continued to force a lot of pressure before the end of the half - winning a number of corners but failing to create any danger from them. 

The Buddies started the second-half strongly and had a penalty appeal turned down on 55 minutes when Sam Foley went down in the box. Referee Alan Newlands was unmoved. 

With around 25 minutes of the game remaining Jim Goodwin made his first change with Danny Mullen coming on in place of Durmus. The substitute was presented with a great chance to equalise just a few minutes after taking to the field when the ball fell to him in space inside the box but he blasted over from a tight angle. 

Three minutes later the striker went agonisingly close to bringing Saints level. A strong tackle from MacKenzie deep in the St Mirren half sent the Buddies scurrying forward on the counter. Mullen picked the ball up on the left, cut inside and curled low towards the far post. It looked like it was heading in all day long but cracked off the post before the offside flag denied Obika on the follow up. 

There were just under 10 minutes to go when Hibernian were awarded a penalty after MacKenzie fouled Martin Boyle inside the Saints box. There was no debating the referee's decision and former Buddie Stevie Mallan stepped up to double the visitors lead.

Saints kept at Hibernian as they searched for a way back into the match. Sam Foley, man of the match on the evening, went so close to added to his goal on Saturday after a terrific solo run which saw him curl just wide of Maxwell's far post. 

The Buddies would get a goal back in the first minute of stoppage time. Neat footwork from Mullen saw the striker get a shot away on the edge of the area. Maxwell was equal to it but it fell for substitute Junior Morias who slammed home to score his first St Mirren goal. Unfortunately for Saints it was too little too late as Hibernian took the points back to Edinburgh.

Full-Time: St Mirren 1-2 Hibernian

St Mirren: Hladky, P.McGinn, MacKenzie, McLoughlin, Waters, Flynn (McAllister 78), S.McGinn, Foley, Magennis, Durmus (Mullen 66), Obika (Morias 78)
Subs Not Used: Lyness, MacPherson, Djorkaeff, Cooke

Hibernian: Maxwell, Naismith, Porteous, Hanlon, Stevenson, Hallberg, Slivka, Allan (Mallan 72), Newell (Horgan 57), Doidge, Kamberi (Boyle 52)
Subs Not Used: Marciano, James, Jackson, Shaw

Referee: Alan Newlands
Assistant Referee: Alan Mulvanny
Assistant Referee: Ross Macleod
Fourth Official: John McKendrick 

Attendance: 5,377

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