Fraser Taylor nets as St Mirren earn first league win at Rugby Park in 13 years

Fraser Taylor's first goal for the Saints ensured all three points in our first league victory away to Kilmarnock since 2013.

The boyhood Buddie scored the game's only goal after four minutes to continue our unbeaten start in the William Hill Premiership.

Taylor was the only change to the side that drew with Motherwell on Sunday as he came in for Samuel Ramos. The midfielder gave Saints an early lead, scoring his first goal for the Buddies to cap off a nice passage of play. The Saints academy graduate ran on to a lay-off from striker Nikolas Agrafiotis and sent a tidy low finish into the net.

The Buddies almost grabbed a second 10 minutes later after another neat passage of play. It culminated in Calvin Ramsay being found in acres of space inside the Kilmarnock box, but his low strike was deflected off the outside of the post.

Saints dominated the first 45 with most of our threat coming down the left-hand side and that was the source of our next real opportunity after the half-hour mark. Ramsay switched it to Ismeal Kabia who had the beating of his man. He picked out Chris Mochrie who fashioned the shooting opportunity, seeing it blocked and out for a corner. After a scramble from the resulting corner, the ball would eventually fall to Declan John, though the full-back couldn't get the connection he wanted and sent it over.

Kilmarnock boss Neil McCann responded to his side's first-half showing by making a triple change at the break. Jamie Brandon, Aaron Tshibola and Djenairo Daniels replaced Erik Ring, Johnly Yfeko and Tyreece John-Jules.

Joe Hugill had the first opportunity of the second period after Kilmarnock won a free-kick around 25 yards from goal. The forward curls goalwards but saw his effort pushed away by Jacob Chapman. Michael Schjønning-Larsen had a half-chance on 58 minutes when he skipped inside and shot low from 20 yards. It was a tame effort into the arms and easily dealt with by Chapman.

A dangerous delivery from Taylor gave Agrafiotis the opportunity to extend our lead on the hour mark. The ball was whipped in to the area with Agrafiotis just unable to guide it beyond Max Stryjek to give Saints some breathing room.

Substitute Jake Young almost put the game to bed as Saints hit Kilmarnock on the counter. Paul Nsio drove forward and picked out Young, but the forward was crowded out before he could get his shot away.

For all Kilmarnock had the ball in the second-half, they failed to test Chapman in the Saints goal and Saints comfortably saw out the remainder of the game to ensure our good start to the season continued.

Full-Time: Kilmarnock 0-1 St Mirren

Referee: David Dickinson
VAR: Andrew Dallas