St Mirren 1 - 0 Queen of South: Mallan seals it for Saints

THE St Mirren revival under manager Alex Rae continued when a first-half Stevie Mallan wonder strike was enough to give the Paisley side back-to-back home wins, move up to seventh place in the Championship and remarkably within four points of a play-off berth.

St Mirren's Stephen Mallan rifles home the winner. Picture: Craig Jardine/SNS

Queens almost went in front after ten minutes when Mark Millar’s corner from the right was flicked on by Jake Pickard, but Saints goalkeeper Jamie Langfield, at full stretch, managed to push the ball on to the bar.

Chances were aplenty for both protagonists and in 19 minutes Iain Russell threatened for Queens when he swept a Lewis Kidd cross from the right, just wide of the left hand post.

Saints, after finally breaking their home hoodoo, were brimming with confidence and got the opener in 25 minutes after Russell impeded Calum Gallagher and Stevie Mallan curled a superb right foot free-kick high into the net from 20 yards.

It ended a record of four successive league clean sheets by the Dumfries side.

Saints should have doubled their lead four minutes later when goalkeeper Robbie Thomson dropped an Alex Cooper cross but somehow Lawrence Shankland scooped the ball over from six yards.

Mallan almost added a second for the Buddies in 51 minutes when he lobbed a Cooper cut back just wide from 18 yards. Queens might have levelled four minutes later when Pickard’s header from point blank range was brilliantly saved by Langfield. Ten minutes from time Thomson produced a sensational save to prevent Mallan’s fierce 18-yard effort