Miranda was handed his first start after signing on loan from CAI, with Billy Mehmet dropping out. Corcoran and Stewart Kean were the partnership up front - a combination that worked surprisingly well.
The Saints performance was far improved from the one against Motherwell a fortnight ago, especially in the first half. We even created quite a few chances and seemed to be battling a bit more in midfield. Certainly encouraging for the rest of the season - well, the first hour or so anyway.
Caley threatened a few times in the opening exchanges, Don Cowie wasting a rather good chance when he volleyed wide from a John Rankin cross.
In the 19th minute came Miranda's moment. A cross from the right was missed by the much hated Ross Tokely, and the Argentine managed to control the ball (possibly with his arm) before putting it past Michael Fraser with his wrong foot. The left sided player actually had a rather frustrating first half as every time he was in space fullback Ryan McCay didn't give him the ball.
Despite being a goal up, it was Saints keeper Chris Smith who was the busier, having to pull off good saves from Romanian Marius Niculae and thug Graham Bayne - who has been learning from Tokely - before the half was out.
The visitors were made to pay for the missed chances ten minutes after the break. Kean chased a lost cause - running past two Caley Thistle defenders who had given it up, before cutting the ball back into the middle for the unmarked Corcoran to slam home.
2-0, game over surely? No chance. Three minutes later John Potter made a terrible mistake that allowed Niculae the chance to cross for Cowie, who finished from close range.
After that Saints went to pieces and Caley had several chances to get an equaliser, Rankin going frighteningly close with a left foot drive. Smith had to look sharp and was an important part in safeguarding the lead.
Kean had two chances to wrap the points up - a difficult header went just wide and a horrendous miss in injury time with the goal gaping after he;d rounded Fraser. His workrate and crossing is decent; his finishing is currently woeful.
A vital win for Saints and one that will hopefully spur us on to better things. There are still a few problems - the free kicks aren't great, there's a bit too much messing around at the back and Potter is looking shaky - but it was a damn sight better than a few weeks ago. The small front two worked rather well, especially when Corcoran went wide and the ball was played over the top to him.
Here's hoping the first away win of the season comes next week - preferably with a few more new signings in by then.