Dundee United picked up three valuable points against St Mirren in a low-key encounter at Tannadice.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the first period of an uninspiring encounter on Tayside.
However, Gus MacPherson's men produced most of the opportunities during the first half, with a John Sutton 22nd-minute strike ruled offside.
But it was Noel Hunt's name who made the scoresheet when the former Pars striker headed home on 64 minutes.
Hunt was at the heart of the early action when he headed towards goal for United in the 19th minute, with Saints' keeper Tony Bullock producing his only notable save of the first half.
At the other end, United keeper Derek Stillie parried a left-footed Sutton strike which blasted in from the edge of the penalty area, and the United keeper found himself under more pressure when a Simon Lappin corner swung in from the right-hand side.
The ball subsequently broke to St Mirren defender John-Paul Potter, but his volley took a deflection off United's Barry Robson and drifted out for a corner, which Stillie cleared.
As half-time approached, Hugh Murray squandered an opportunity to break the deadlock when Kirk Broadfoot delivered a searching ball in from the left, but 27-year-old Murray watched as his downward header bounced wide.
The final opportunity for the first 45 minutes fell to St Mirren's Richard Brittain, but the former Raith man sent his shot wide of the target and the sides headed in for the break goalless.
United set out in the second-half in much better shape, and, just nine minutes after the break, David Robertson sent in a shot from the edge of the St Mirren penalty area which was deflected wide by Murray.
The resultant corner saw the ball turned into the visitor's net by Robertson, but referee Brian Winter had already signalled for a foul on Broadfoot.
However, the opening goal of the match was not long in coming when Robertson headed a Stuart Duff cross along the goalline in the 64th minute and Hunt nodded the ball across the line from close range.
Ten minutes later, Robson and Broadfoot were both cautioned for unsporting behaviour and as time started running out for the visitors, MacPherson introduced on Alex Burke for Alan Reid in an attempt to produce an equaliser.
Stillie was forced to make another save with six minutes left on the clock when he leapt across goal to gather a Billy Mehmet header.
Grant Smith and Collin Samuel came off the bench for United, with David McKenna replacing Mehmet for St Mirren.
However, the result was never in any real doubt and United now find themselves creeping up the league table to ninth place with a single point advantage over St Mirren.
Dundee Utd: Stillie, Duff, Kenneth (Archibald 68), Mair,Kalvenes, Conway, Kerr, Cameron, Robson, Hunt (Samuel 90),Robertson (Smith 86).
Subs Not Used: Smith, Brady, Molloy, Mackay.
Booked: Broadfoot.
Goal: Hunt 64.
Att: 5,681
St Mirren: Bullock, Millen, Broadfoot, Potter, van Zanten,Brittain (Kean 70), Reid (Burke 80), Lappin, Murray,Mehmet (McKenna 86), Sutton.
Subs Not Used: McLean, Wilkie, Easton, Goodwillie.
Booked: Robson.
Referee: B Winter (Scotland)