Alex Gogic's late header rescued a point for Saints as we drew 1-1 with Livingston in the William Hill Premiership.
The Cypriot levelled on 89 minutes to ensure a share of the spoils for the Buddies after Robbie Muirhead had given the hosts a second-half lead. The point keeps St Mirren in 10th place, moving us five points ahead of 11th place Kilmarnock and keeping us eight clear of Livingston who are rooted to the bottom.
Both sides made one change each to the teams that started Saturday's Scottish Gas Scottish Cup tie. Conor McMenamin returned from injury and came in for Oisin Smyth, while Cristian Montano replaced Samson Lawal for Livingston.
A bitty opening 30 minutes saw the home side with most of the ball, though the match was punctuated with a number of stoppages for head knocks and other injury concerns with neither goalkeeper tested. It would take until the half-hour mark for Saints to register their first shot on target though it was a fairly routine take for Livingston goalkeeper Jerome Prior. Mikael Mandron took the ball in, swiveled on the edge of the area and fired into the arms of the shot-stopper.
The game burst into life in the final few minutes of the first-half. Mandron passed up a good chance when he sent a header over from a McMenamin cross on 43 minutes, while the Northern Irishman saw a close-range strike saved by Prior a minute later after brilliant work from Mandron to fashion the opportunity.
As the game ticked towards the interval, Livingston had the best chance to open the scoring. Jayden Richardson was robbed of the ball by Montano near the penalty box. He found Lewis Smith in acres of space inside the Saints area and the winger took a touch to carve the opportunity, but was quickly blocked by Shamal George. The ball would spin back to Muirhead who connected with his head, though Richard King was in the right place with a vital goal-line clearance. Scott Arfield eventually shot over with Saints unable to clear their lines.
That was the last action for the veteran Livi midfielder as he and Montano would make way at half-time for Lawal and Scott Pittman. Saints boss Stephen Robinson also made a change at the break with Dan Nlundulu replacing Richardson.
It was the home side who looked more threatening following the restart with Connor McLennan shifting the ball inside but firing into the arms on George on 52 minutes. The hosts would eventually find the breakthrough four minutes later. Josh Brenet's cross from the right found Muirhead unmarked at the back post. He took it on his chest before rifling into the far corner of the net to open the scoring.
The Buddies made three changes after the hour mark with the introduction of Scott Tanser, Evan Mooney and debutant Jake Young in place of McMenamin, Roland Idowu and Mandron. A further change was made with a little over 10 minutes to go when Tunmise Sobowale replaced Declan John. The substitutions gave Saints more energy, but it was Livingston who almost sealed the game on 80 minutes. A fortuitous break of the ball allowed Muirhead to break in behind the Saints defence. King did well to force him wide, but the striker cut inside and cracked a curling effort off the cross bar.
Saints' need was pressing as the game headed to injury-time. Sobowale sent in a sensational cross that found Young unmarked in the Livi box. He got his header on target but saw it tipped over the bar by Prior. And the Buddies would drag themselves level from the resulting corner. Tanser swung the ball into a good area where Gogic peeled away from his marker to bullet home the equaliser in the 89th minute.
Alex Gogic heads home equaliser (Image: Craig Brown)
Full-Time: Livingston 1-1 St Mirren
St Mirren: George, Fraser (c), King, Freckleton, Richardson (Nlundulu 46), Phillips, Gogic, McMenamin (Tanser 63), John (Sobowale 79), Idowu (Mooney 63), Mandron (Young 63)
Subs Not Used: Mullen, Donnelly, Campbell, Smyth
Livingston: Prior, Brenet, McGowan (c), Finlayson, Montano (Lawal 46), Tait, Susoho, L.Smith (Zimmerman 76), Arfield (Pittman 46), McLennan (Kabongolo 83), Muirhead (Tamm 82)
Subs Not Used: J.Smith, May, Bokila, Danso
Referee: Duncan Nicolson
AR1: Jonathan Bell
AR2: Alastair Taylor
Fourth Official: Ryan Lee
VAR: Grant Irvine
