St Mirren 1-0 Aberdeen: Stunning Ronan strike earns rare home win

Connor Ronan ended St Mirren’s four-month anticipate a house win as his beautiful end despatched listless Aberdeen to Scottish Premiership defeat.

The second-half winner continued St Mirren’s revival, with back-to-back league victories lifting them eighth.

The guests – who had 68% possession however no leading edge – keep sixth having blown the prospect to go fourth.

After an 11-game winless run St Mirren are thriving once more with three victories in a row in all competitions, and one thing about Aberdeen brings out the perfect in them.

The Paisley males’s solely different house Premiership triumph this season got here in opposition to the Pittodrie facet in September and Ronan – the double hero that day – once more emerged the match-winner.

This time Aberdeen got here to Paisley of their greatest type of the season – 5 wins and one defeat in seven – however regarded unwell comfortable after a shaky begin peppered with a litany of misplaced passes set the tone.

Dean Campbell – deputising for Jonny Hayes at left-back – was significantly jittery. Greg Kiltie ghosted previous the 20-year-old to fizz in a cross that had St Mirren interesting in useless for a penalty after David Bates’ awkward clearance.

Jay Henderson blazed over and Marcus Fraser headed large from set-pieces, whereas Kiltie slashed off beam following one other defensive lapse, however for all St Mirren’s intensive urgent and neat build-up, they didn’t muster an effort heading in the right direction earlier than half-time.

Aberdeen steadily started to evoke themselves, and got here near a breakthrough as Lewis Ferguson whistled a 25-yard strike inches previous the far publish then Calvin Ramsay had goalkeeper Jak Alnwick at full stretch with a thunderous cross-shot.

Skipper Scott Brown additionally threatened an opener after the restart, looping an effort narrowly too excessive earlier than having a far-post shot cleared off the road by Scott Tanser after Alnwick failed to gather a Campbell supply.

Teddy Jenks dragged large however the guests by no means regarded convincing going ahead, and had been crushed by a aim out of maintaining with every part that had gone earlier than.

Ronan retrieved Kiltie’s cross and, from the left fringe of the penalty field, he curled an excellent strike previous the diving Lewis and into the underside nook.

It was St Mirren’s solely shot heading in the right direction in the complete sport, however proved sufficient to safe a dogged and deserved victory.

Aberdeen nonetheless had half an hour to mount a restoration, but their comeback makes an attempt had been pitiful because the hosts comfortably protected the lead.

Man of the match – Connor Ronan

What did we be taught?

This was unlikely to be a traditional between the facet who had the second worst house document within the league in opposition to the crew with the third poorest away from.

So it proved, however St Mirren did sufficient to grind out a win secured by a memorable aim. The hosts’ wonderful defensive organisation offered the platform and the work ethic all through Jim Goodwin’s facet stood out.

Jamie McGrath returned from the naughty step – the talismanic midfielder had been disregarded of the final two video games amid hypothesis over his future – to place in a tireless shift and present there’s extra to his sport than aptitude.

As for Aberdeen, this was a dramatic fall in requirements from final week’s compelling draw with Rangers and leaves them simply three factors above St Mirren.

If Stephen Glass’ males are severe about catching Hearts in third and Motherwell in fourth, these are the video games they should be successful. All their key males underperformed and with simply two away league wins all marketing campaign, it is clear Aberdeen are a delicate contact on the street.

What did they are saying?

St Mirren supervisor Jim Goodwin: “It was extraordinarily tight. There wasn’t a lot between the 2 groups. Aberdeen by no means actually induced us a substantial amount of issues.

“I felt at half-time it will take one thing particular to win it. I am delighted Connor was in a position to provide you with that.”

Aberdeen supervisor Stephen Glass: “It is actually disappointing. The one second of high quality was produced by a St Mirren participant, we ended up getting what we deserved. It regarded like a little bit of a psychological method, considering it was going to be simple.

“We gave the ball away too cheaply, too typically. As a gaggle, we have got to do higher than that.”

What’s subsequent?

The underside two present the opposition on Saturday, with Aberdeen internet hosting St Johnstone (15:00 GMT), whereas St Mirren are away to Dundee on the similar time.