St Mirren 1 - 0 Hibernian

HIBS paid the price for failing to turn their first half dominance into goals as St Mirren survived that onslaught to snatch all three points with a 58th minute strike from Edinburgh boy Craig Dargo.

The Easter Road outfit enjoyed by far the superior possesion during that opening period but boss John Hughes would have been disappointed at the lack of clear-cut chances created with Celtic target Anthony Stokes enduring a forgettable afternoon in Paisely as he rarely got himself involved in the action.

It had looked only a matter of time before the Capital side would score but after Dargo found the net, there were precious few signs of an equaliser coming, even four minutes of added time failing to provide any help to what had deteriorated into a feckless performance lacking in any sign of creativity.

Hibs totally dominated the opening 45 minutes without being able to make the breakthrough, keeping Saints on the backfoot although John Hughes' side, for all their possession, didn't carve out any clear-cut openings.

With Anthony Stokes in the team despite the speculation linking him with a move to Celtic within the next 48 hours, Hibs took the game to St Mirren, Edwin de Graaf blazing over from 20 yards before Derek Riordan sent a curling free-kick into the sidenetting.

But Buddies goalkeeper Paul Gallacher had to be at his best to deny the Easter Road hitman, throwing himself full-length to push away another trademark free-kick which was threatening to slide into the corner of his net.

It was, however, the closest Hibs came to scoring in the first half with Saints working hard to keep their opponents out while they were unable to trouble Hibs goalkeeper Mark Brown at all, their only effort on goal a looping header from Gareth Wardlaw which dropped comfortably over the bar.

If there had been little of incident in that opening period, things heated up shortly after the restart, Wardlaw, the victim of two thumping challenges by Steven Thicot and Chris Hogg, sought retribution on Bamba, an act which brought him a yellow card and a word from referee Stevie O'Reilly for Saints boss Danny Lennon on the advice of his fourth official Eddie Smith.

Bamba was then penalised for barging Wardlaw, his indiscretion leading, indirectly to Saints taking a 58th minute lead as Garry Brady swung in the resultant free-kick, Darren McGregor flicking it on for Dargo to drill low into the net, the Buddies first shot on target.

That goal clearly stunned Hibs while the Paisley outfit's confidence soared, and McGregor came close to making it two as he got his head to another Brady free-kick only to put the ball wide, Easter Road boss John Hughes having found himself the target of the travelling support's ire as he replaced the talismanic Riordan with Ian Murray.

St Mirren: Gallacher, Brady, Mair, Potter, Murray, Dargo (Lynch 69), McGregor, Travner, McAusland (Van Zanten 90), Wardlaw, McGowan. Subs not used: Samson, Robb, Love, McLennan, McKernon.

Hibs: Brown, Thicot (Rankin 71), Hogg, Bamba, Hanlon (Galbraith 61), De Graaf, Miller, Wotherspoon, Riordan (Murray 71), Nish, Stokes. Subs not used: Smith, Stephens, Stevenson, Currie.

Referee: Stevie O'Reilly.