St Mirren extended their unbeaten home record in the Scottish Premiership to nine matches after coming from behind to beat frantic 10-man Aberdeen.
Matty Kennedy’s fine strike put Aberdeen ahead, before their captain Anthony Stewart was sent off, and Mark O’Hara’s resulting penalty went in off goalkeeper Kelle Roos.
O’Hara scored his side’s second penalty as Aberdeen toiled, and a third goal came in stoppage time – Greg Kiltie taking advantage with Roos up the pitch in search of a dramatic equaliser.
Jonah Ayunga also had a third penalty saved for St Mirren but ultimately it didn’t matter as Stephen Robinson’s side continued their excellent home form, having last lost in Paisley on the opening day of the season.
Aberdeen, meanwhile, were handed a third straight defeat since the restart and they only have themselves to blame for the way they let the game slip from their grasp, despite a strong push for an equaliser at the end.
By the dramatic finale, the visitors were playing better football going forward with 10 men than they did with 11, but their decision making after going 1-0 up will be questioned.
After Kennedy had smashed in the opener from 25 yards, Stewart followed up a slack pass with an awful touch, which allowed Ayunga to steal the ball and draw the foul, which was upgraded from free-kick to penalty after a VAR check.
Stewart was sent off and O’Hara struck the post, but luck was with him as the ball hit off Roos’ outstretched leg and trundled into the net. Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin made two changes at the break but within eight minutes Roos had felled Curtis Main after more miscommunication at the back.
O’Hara tucked the ball under the diving Roos, who finally managed to save from the penalty spot at the third attempt when his leg stopped Ayunga’s effort from finding the middle of the net, after the striker had drawn a foul from Ross McCrorie.
St Mirren could have been out of sight before Aberdeen finally managed to compose themselves and, in the end, they will feel they could have escaped with a point.
Ylber Ramadani smashed the crossbar, and substitute Ryan Duncan somehow headed wide from a few yards out.
But their afternoon was summed up when Roos decided to come up for a corner with at least two of the eight minutes of stoppage time to play.
When the goalkeeper failed to steer a header on target, Jack MacKenzie gifted the ball to Kiltie, who calmly finished into an open goal from 40 yards out.
That sealed things for St Mirren, who made the perfect return after six weeks out.
Player of the match – Jonah Ayunga
Aberdeen mentality raises questions – analysis
After last week’s game against Motherwell was postponed, St Mirren were forced to make it six weeks without a game, but they returned like the team they have been all season in Paisley.
Even before the opening goal, they caused Aberdeen problems in the box with their high crosses and physical presence. But Robinson could not have hoped for a better gift on Christmas Eve than Stewart’s lapse in concentration.
Credit has to go to Ayunga, who played well all afternoon, for capitalising on the error, and that changed the game and set his team on the path to victory.
Aberdeen, meanwhile, were frantic. Even in good times this season they have rarely looked in complete control of games.
They lack a calm presence in defence and midfield to recycle the ball in times of trouble, and it often means their fragile defence is exposed.
Stewart – named captain after signing this season – continues to be a concern at centre-back and put his team in real trouble. But their response to going down to 10 men was to remain far too disjointed for far too long.
After throwing away a lead against Rangers in stoppage time on Tuesday, the pressure was on to deliver a performance. This will not have convinced anyone who harbours concerns about the team’s direction, particularly away from home where it’s three wins in 27 games.
Despite sitting in third, they only have one more point than they did at this stage last season, when they went on to finish 10th.
What they said
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: “I thought we were very good for 60 minutes. We looked tired the last 20, and nervous after we missed the penalty to be honest.
“I thought the front two were excellent at times. Jonah’s end product wasn’t what he wanted but he’s a real threat. Main as well, they gave absolutely everything.”
Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin: “I think it’s pretty clear why it unravelled. We made a mistake at the back. We should’ve played forward instead of coming back to Anthony Stewart, and he makes a poor decision.
“There’s no legislating for the goals we’ve lost. And the guys who’ve made the mistakes are big enough and strong enough characters to hold their hands up.”
What’s next?
Both sides are back in action on 28 December, with St Mirren away to Livingston (19:45) at the same time as Aberdeen visit Kilmarnock.
Player of the match
KiltieGreg Kiltie
St Mirren
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Squad number11Player nameKiltieAverage rating
6.91
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Squad number9Player nameBrophyAverage rating
6.91
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Squad number22Player nameFraser
Average rating6.90
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Squad number10Player nameMain
Average rating6.86
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Squad number17Player nameBaccus
Average rating6.67
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Squad number6Player nameO’Hara
Average rating6.62
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Squad number13Player nameGogic
Average rating6.51
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Squad number1Player nameCarson
Average rating6.47
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Squad number31Player nameGallagher
Average rating6.43
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Squad number16Player nameErhahon
Average rating6.41
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Squad number23Player nameStrain
Average rating6.39
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Squad number18Player nameDunne
Average rating6.33
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Squad number7Player nameAyunga
Average rating6.33
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Squad number3Player nameTanser
Average rating6.10
Aberdeen
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Squad number33Player nameKennedy
Average rating5.78
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Squad number16Player nameRamadani
Average rating5.56
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Squad number8Player nameBarron
Average rating5.51
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Squad number20Player nameClarkson
Average rating5.43
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Squad number11Player nameDuk
Average rating5.36
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Squad number2Player nameMcCrorie
Average rating5.33
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Squad number22Player nameCoulson
Average rating5.21
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Squad number23Player nameDuncan
Average rating5.15
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Squad number4Player nameScales
Average rating4.92
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Squad number9Player nameMiovski
Average rating4.72
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Squad number3Player nameMacKenzie
Average rating4.62
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Squad number99Player nameRamírez
Average rating4.57
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Squad number24Player nameRoos
Average rating4.44
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Squad number5Player nameStewart
Average rating3.05
Line-ups
St Mirren
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Carson
- 23StrainBooked at 89mins
- 22Fraser
- 31Gallagher
- 18Dunne
- 3Tanser
- 17BaccusBooked at 67mins
- 16ErhahonBooked at 30minsSubstituted forKiltieat 45′minutes
- 6O’Hara
- 7AyungaSubstituted forGogicat 90′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 10MainSubstituted forBrophyat 84′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Shaughnessy
- 8Flynn
- 9Brophy
- 11Kiltie
- 12Henderson
- 13Gogic
- 15Reid
- 20Olusanya
- 27Urminsky
Aberdeen
Formation 3-5-2
- 24Roos
- 2McCrorieBooked at 62mins
- 5StewartBooked at 35mins
- 4Scales
- 33Kennedy
- 8Barron
- 16Ramadani
- 20ClarksonSubstituted forDuncanat 45′minutes
- 22CoulsonSubstituted forRamírezat 66′minutes
- 9Miovski
- 11de Barros LopesSubstituted forMacKenzieat 45′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Lewis
- 3MacKenzie
- 7Morris
- 15Watkins
- 21Polvara
- 23Duncan
- 25Richardson
- 28Milne
- 99Ramírez
- Referee:
- Nick Walsh
- Attendance:
- 7,394
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, St. Mirren 3, Aberdeen 1.
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Second Half ends, St. Mirren 3, Aberdeen 1.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Marcus Fraser.
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Goal! St. Mirren 3, Aberdeen 1. Greg Kiltie (St. Mirren) left footed shot from more than 35 yards to the centre of the goal.
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Attempt missed. Kelle Roos (Aberdeen) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Matthew Kennedy with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Trevor Carson.
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Attempt saved. Matthew Kennedy (Aberdeen) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Alexandros Gogic (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Ross McCrorie (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Alexandros Gogic (St. Mirren).
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Offside, St. Mirren. Alexandros Gogic tries a through ball, but Eamonn Brophy is caught offside.
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Substitution, St. Mirren. Alexandros Gogic replaces Jonah Ayunga.
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Ryan Strain (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Ryan Duncan (Aberdeen).
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Keanu Baccus (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Greg Kiltie.
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Attempt missed. Ryan Duncan (Aberdeen) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Matthew Kennedy with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Scott Tanser.
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Bojan Miovski (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Charles Dunne (St. Mirren).