St Mirren 1-0 Gretna

Billy Mehmet scores from close range for St Mirren

A Billy Mehmet goal gave St Mirren a valuable three points at home against fellow strugglers Gretna.

The Buddies striker pounced on a great cross from Franco Miranda to steer the ball past Greg Fleming in 35 minutes.

Fabian Yantorno threatened the St Mirren goal on a few occasions but Gus MacPherson's side deserved the win, which puts them six clear of Gretna.

Craig Barr was sent off for the visitors in the closing minutes for a second bookable offence.

Interview: St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson

Interview: Gretna head coach David Irons

Though the season is still in its early stages, fans of St Mirren and Gretna will feel that the games between these teams will have a significant bearing on the final league positions.

Recent form for the teams has been poor, with both sides having lost four of their last five SPL matches.

St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson made four changes from the starting 11 that lost heavily to Aberdeen.

John Potter, Stewart Kean, Ryan McCay and Stephen O'Donnell found themselves relegated to the bench, where they watched 41-year-old defender Andy Millen, midfielders Mark Corcoran and Alex Burke and forward Billy Mehmet take their places.

For Gretna manager Davie Irons, the only change was the replacement of injured defender Aurelien Collin with Danny Grainger.

St Mirren started the more lively of the sides, attempting to pass the ball around in midfield, with Franco Miranda, making his eighth start since joining the Paisley outfit, their key player.

However, for all the Buddies' control of the play, the results were limited. Mehmet had a weak shot on goal in 24 minutes when the ball broke to him from a free kick.

And a few minutes later Will Haining almost secured his first goal for St Mirren when he headed a few inches wide from a corner.

Gretna's best chances came from Fabian Yantorno, who just before the half hour mark volleyed over the bar from a decent set-up by Craig Barr.

In 33 minutes, Yantorno unleashed a terrific dipping shot which Saints goalkeeper Chris Smith did well to tip over the bar.

Just two minutes later, Saints took the lead. Franco Miranda delivered a devastating cross from the left wing and Billy Mehmet was alert to divert the ball beyond the Gretna goalkeeper Greg Fleming to score his second goal of the season.

The Gretna coaching staff decided on two tactical substitutions at half-time, introducing David Graham and Michael Buscher for David Cowan and James Grady.

Despite Gretna's reshuffle, the second half began with the same pattern as the first 45.

St Mirren enjoyed the bulk of the possession and their dominance nearly paid off when Alex Burke shaved the outside of the post with a powerful shot in 51 minutes.

A wonderful point-blank save by Greg Fleming prevented St Mirren going two goals up, when second-half substitute Stewart Kean's header seemed goalbound. Seconds later David van Zanten's curling shot came back off the crossbar.

In the closing minutes of the match the Borderers' Craig Barr was sent off for a bookable offence.

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St Mirren:Smith, van Zanten, Haining, Millen, Miranda, Burke, Murray, Mason, Birchall, Corcoran, Mehmet.

Subs: Howard, Potter,Kean, O'Donnell, McCay, Docherty, McGinn.

Gretna: Fleming, Barr, Innes, Grainger, Cowan, Jenkins, Murray, Skelton, Horwood, Yantorno, Grady.

Subs: Caig, McMenamin, Graham, Hogg, Buscher, McGill, Paartalu.

Referee: M Tumilty