Saints had to make do with a point after drawing with Ross County in an entertaining game in Paisley.
The Buddies led at the break thanks to Jon Obika's second goal in as many games, the striker showing great composure to tuck the ball away after a good run from Kyle McAllister.
Both keepers pulled off great saves in the second half before the hosts had Joe Shaughnessy sent off for a tackle on Ross Stewart, Michael Gardyne's deflected effort levelling things up soon after. Unsurprisingly, the visitors had plenty of possession after that but couldn't make it count as the sides shared the spoils.
Foley was back in midfield as Conor McCarthy was fit enough to return to defence with Cammy MacPherson dropping to the bench, where he was joined by new signing Kristian Dennis. Former County skipper Marcus Fraser lined up against his old side, with ex Buddie Stewart in attack for the visitors.
The opening quarter of an hour was scrappy with neither side carving out anything of note but the first real show of quality in the game resulted in a goal. McAllister made a fine run across the park and tried to pass to Jamie McGrath, only for Gardyne to stick a foot out to try to intercept it. The ball then broke lose and McAllister poked it forward, via a County player, to Obika, who turned and fired low into the bottom corner.
Things got worse for County when they lost Coll Donaldson to injury after Nathan Sheron's challenge, former Saints' favourite Keith Watson taking his place. Staggies goalie Ross Laidlaw needed two goes to save Junior Morias' shot after he was played in by McAllister moments before Billy Mckay headed wide from a Gardyne cross. With the game beginning to open up, Obika and McGrath combined to create an opening for Sheron but he lashed his shot into the empty stand behind the goal.
There was a scare when Josh Reid's shot took a huge deflection off Fraser and threatened to spin into the Saints goal before going behind. County went even closer from the corner, Harry Paton's delivery being met by Stewart but his header hit the bar. The Buddies almost added a second before the break, Obika nodding the ball through for Morias but Laidlaw blocked his shot.
County replaced Paton and Reid with Carl Tremarco and Regan Charles-Cook at the break and the change almost paid instant dividends as Charles-Cook picked out Stewart with a great cross but his header was superbly cleared off the line by Richard Tait. The fullback showed he could also be effective at the other end, whipping in a low ball that Obika was unable to get enough on to force home. The Buddies had a chance to add a second soon after, McAllister's shot being deflected to Morias but he was once again denied by Laidlaw.
County went back on the offensive, Gardyne trying to curl a shot into the bottom corner only for Jak Alnwick to produce a great save, the ball then bouncing off Charles-Cook and going behind before he had a chance to react. If that was a bit of luck for the hosts, what happened next would have infuriated Buddies fans watching at home. Shaughnessy and Stewart both went for the ball and the Saints defender won it but also caught Stewart with his follow through. As the County striker writhed in pain, play continued before ref Mike Roncone stopped proceedings so Stewart could receive treatment. Tempers flared between the two sides but after they had calmed down, Mr Roncone then decided that not only was it a foul after all, Shaughnessy's tackle was bad enough to merit a red card. It was a bizarre situation, aggrieved Saints boss Jim Goodwin replacing McAllister with MacPherson and dropping Foley into defence as he adjusted his side.
It took the Staggies just five minutes to make their numerical advantage count. Connor Randall headed the ball back into the mix from the byline and Gardyne's shot deflected off both Foley and Sheron before nestling in the bottom corner. The visitors could sense a winner and Saints were sitting deeper and deeper, although they did force a corner from one rare foray forward that was cleared to Foley at the edge of the box but he smashed it well over.
Goalscorer Obika was replaced by newboy Dennis for the closing stages, County sub Stephen Kelly shooting well wide as the visitors pushed for a winner. They almost got it in stoppage time as a cross found Mckay but he could only prod it wide.
Full-Time: St Mirren 1-1 Ross County
WATCH JIM GOODWIN'S POST-MATCH REACTION HERE.
St Mirren: Alnwick, Fraser, McCarthy, Shaughnessy, Tait, Sheron, Foley (c), McGrath, McAllister (MacPherson 65), Morias, Obika (Dennis 85)
Subs Not Used: Lyness, Urminsky, Baird, Erhahon, Henderson, Jamieson, Jack
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall (Mullin 82), Donaldson (Watson 24), Iacovitti, Reid (Tremarco 45), Draper, Vigurs (Kelly 71), Stewart, Paton (Charles-Clark 45), Gardyne, McKay
Subs Not Used: Doohan, Watson, Tillson, Spittal, Shaw
Referee: Mike Roncone
Assistant Referee: Dougie Potter
Assistant Referee: Gordon Crawford
Fourth Official: William Collum
