Dundee 0-1 St Mirren: Hosts still bottom as visitors have top-six hopes boosted

St Mirren are back in the hunt for a top-six finish after a last-minute goal byConnor Ronan gave them a victory at Dundee.

With eight games left in the season, Dundee are a point adrift of the bottom of the division.

St Mirren had the best chances and had Richard Tait's goal disallowed, but they still have a chance of finishing in the top half of the table.

The Dens Park side missed out on the chance to move above St Johnstone because manager Mark McGhee tested positive for Covid.

• Which club will claim final European place?
• Reaction & as it happened

There were no shots on target in the opening half hour and there were no real opportunities to spark the game into life.

St Mirren had the best chances in the first half, but they didn't score.

Jordan Jones broke through one-on-one with Harrison Sharp, who was caught in no man's land, but the winger failed to lift his shot over the keeper from the edge of the area.

After Greg Kiltie cut-back, the ball landed kindly for Eamonn in the box. He lashed it goalward before it was blocked on the line by Zeno Ibsen Rossi.

Both sides occupied the second and third-bottom spots in terms of goals scored coming into this clash and it was evident neither were going to buck this trend with only two shots on target registered in the first half.

The best chance of the second half came when Ryan Sweeney met a set-piece with his head, but it was impressively cleared by Ronan.

The ball went abegging as Niall McGinn whipped in an equally tempting ball that was cleared by the visitors, while the other player, Luke McGowan, nodded it goalwards before it was cleared by the visitors.

Jones had the best chance to win the game after Brophy had his shot saved. The stop sent the ball into the middle of the box, but he sent it soaring high into the night sky.

The Paisley side continued to put in a spirited attacking effort and thought they had won the points when Tait's head bounced up and into the roof of the net. John Beaton ruled that it was a foul against the full-back.

After Henderson's floated cross found Ronan, who had darted into space between two Dundee defenders, he headed the ball into the net with a composed headed.

Man of the match - Niall McGinn

What did we learn?

St Mirren left it late, but a win in such dramatic fashion could help them fulfill their end-of-season ambitions.

Jones was a bright-spark throughout, even though he lacked the required calmness in front of goal. If he adds that side to his game for the last part of the season, St Mirren will have their talisman to bring them home.

The new manager bounce has been non-existent for Dundee. They look more organised, but there is a lack of attacking enthusiasm.

They were fighting for their lives at the basement and only managed to get one shot on target.

What they said

It's a painful thing for everyone to concede that late. It's also possible as well. I don't think there will be many complaints about the result on the balance of the second half.

I think the bottom line is that we weren't at the level we needed to be.

The game opening helped the forwards because they have a lot of pace. I thought Eamonn was great.

The style of play was the most pleasing to me. It suits the players we have at the club.

What's next?

Both sides are playing in the Scottish Cup on the same day, as St Mirren host Hearts on Saturday, March 12 and Rangers host Dundee the next day.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Formation 4-2-1-2.

• 30Sharp
• 2Kerr
• 35Rossi
• 5Sweeney
• 3Marshall
• 18McMullan
• 24AndersonSubstituted forDaley-Campbellat 83'minutes
• 6McGhee
• 77McGinn
• 17McCowanSubstituted forByrneat 62'minutes
• 11McDaidSubstituted forRuddenat 62'minutes

Substitutes

• 4Fontaine
• 8Byrne
• 12Chapman
• 14Ashcroft
• 15Mulligan
• 16Elliott
• 20Rudden
• 22Daley-Campbell
• 41Welsh

Formation 4-5-1

• 26Lyness
• 2TaitBooked at 51mins
• 4Shaughnessy
• 18Dunne
• 3Tanser
• 11KiltieSubstituted forHendersonat 77'minutes
• 43RonanBooked at 90mins
• 6Power
• 13Gogic
• 7Jones
• 9BrophySubstituted forGreiveat 87'minutes

Substitutes

• 5McCarthy
• 8Flynn
• 10Main
• 12Henderson
• 16Erhahon
• 21Greive
• 22Fraser
• 27Urminsky
• 39Smith

1. The match ended with St.

2. The second half ended with St.

3. The yellow card is shown toConnor Ronan.

4. Goal! St. The ball was headed from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Jay Henderson had a cross.

5. An attempt was missed. The left footed shot from the centre of the box by Cammy Kerr is wide to the right following a corner.

6. The corner is in Dundee. Conceded by Joe Shaughnessy.

7. Foul by Richard Tait.

8. In the defensive half, Cammy Kerr won a free kick.

9. The corner is St. Mirren. Ryan Sweeney Conceded.

10. The attempt was blocked. Jordan Jones' shot from the left side of the box is blocked. They assisted by Connor Ronan.

11. The attempt was saved. McGinn's shot was saved in the top of the goal. Zak Rudden assisted.

12. Foul by Gogic.

13. In the defensive half, Niall McGinn won a free kick.

14. There is a substitution for St. Mirren. Alex Greive is the new person.

15. An attempt was missed. The shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. They assisted by Niall McGinn.

16. A free kick is won by Jay Henderson.

17. The foul was committed by the person.

18. An attempt was missed. Eamonn Brophy's head from the centre of the box misses to the left. Jordan Jones had a cross.

19. There was a substitution in Dundee. Vontae is replacing Max Anderson.

20. Alan Power won a free kick.