Falkirk 1-2 St Mirren

Hamilton opened the scoring for St Mirren against Falkirk

St Mirren moved off the bottom of the Scottish Premier League table with a hard-fought victory over Falkirk.

Jim Hamilton broke the deadlock in the 41st minute after Falkirk keeper Robert Olejnik parried a Jack Ross strike.

Veteran defender Jackie McNamara was ordered off 10 minutes into the second-half, then Steve Lovell levelled the scores with a controversial tap-in.

Dennis Wyness restored St Mirren's lead with a close-range shot in the 73rd minute after good work by Andy Dorman.

Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Flinders paid the price for his blunder against Hibernian last week as Robert Olejnik started the match in goal.

That was the only change for the hosts, who were taking on an injury-hit St Mirren looking to pick up their first three points in eight matches.

Following an edgy start, Dorman was first to make an attempt at goal for the visitors after eight minutes with a shot from deep inside the Falkirk penalty area, but he fired left of Olejnik's goal.

In comparison, St Mirren keeper Mark Howard had almost nothing to do before Dorman fired in another shot on the Falkirk goal 15 minutes later, but Olejnik pulled off a fine save to keep the match goalless.

Kevin McBride was an inch away from his first goal of the season for Falkirk with a header that sailed over in the 24th minute.

He tried again moments later with a strike from distance, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out for a goal-kick with Howard at full-stretch.

With almost 30 minutes played, Olejnik pulled off a double save when Stephen McGinn fired twice in quick succession, but the Austrian keeper denied the 20-year-old midfielder the opening goal.

Hamilton broke the deadlock for St Mirren with four minutes of the first-half remaining when Ross fired in, but Olejnik parried and the former Dunfermline man tapped home from close range.

Immediately following the break, Falkirk's Patrick Cregg earned himself a yellow card for a rash challenge on Dorman, but St Mirren made little of the resulting free-kick.

McNamara piled misery on Falkirk's chances when he was ordered off for a late challenge on Hamilton and referee Dougie McDonald had no hesitation in sending him in for an early bath.

Shortly after the hour mark, St Mirren's Hugh Murray fouled McBride on the edge of the St Mirren penalty area and the referee awarded a free-kick.

Howard blundered from Burton O'Brien's delivery and Lovell capitalised to put Falkirk back in the game with a tap-in, despite the far-side assistant referee raising his flag.

Wyness restored the visitors' lead in the 73rd minute after Dorman went on a mazy run into the Falkirk penalty area and set up the former Aberdeen man to fire in from close range.

With less than 10 minutes to play, Falkirk's claims of handball were waved away after Ross appeared to block the ball with his hand on the line.

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Falkirk assistant manager Brian Rice:
"We didn't start the game for about 25 minutes, we couldn't get going, St mirren pressed us back, our passing was poor and our composure was poor.

"We got ourselves into the game, but I think I would be doing St Mirren a disservice if I said we deserved to take something from the game.

"It's all down to players and their mindset. We prepared them all week, but on the day it's all about players and how they perform, and ours was poor."

St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson:
"Three points, whoever you're playing in this league, are never easy to come by.

"But the manner in which we worked for each other was pleasing. It's been there for a number of weeks, but we've been playing the top six, with the resources they've got, and everybody thought this would be easier.

"Anyone who was here could see how tough it was, and how we had to stand up to that challenge."

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Falkirk: Olejnik, McNamara, Bullen, Barr, McBride, Holden (Mark Stewart 80), Cregg (Arfield 57), Riera (Barrett 58), O'Brien, Higdon, Lovell. Subs Not Used: Flinders, Latapy, Mitchell, Lynch.

Sent Off: McNamara (55).

Booked: Higdon, Cregg.

Goals: Lovell 62.

St Mirren: Howard, Ross, Potter, Cuthbert, Miranda, McGinn, Murray, Dorman, Brady, Hamilton, Wyness (Brighton 90). Subs Not Used: Smith, Barron, McAusland, McCay, Burns, Carson.

Booked: Murray.

Goals: Hamilton 41, Wyness 73.

Att: 4,828

Ref: D McDonald