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With time and space, the frontman should have done better than drag his low right-foot effort just wide.Jason Naismith then hit the by-line for Saints and whipped in a fine delivery that caused a moment of alarm for Martin Canning, the ball slicing off the player-manager's shin and over the bar when it could have gone anywhere.Canning should have done much better at the opposite end soon after when Crawford's free-kick from halfway found him unmarked inside the St Mirren area, but he seemed to lose his bearings and headed well wide.The St Mirren fans were screaming for a penalty at the start of the second half as Thompson claimed he was being pulled in the area by Ziggy Gordon, but referee Crawford Allan waved away their appeals for what would have been a soft-looking award.Thompson then created a great chance for the home side when he drifted wide before turning and floating a delightful ball into the path of John McGinn, the midfielder meeting the ball with his head as it bounced up off the slick surface and drawing a wonderful point-blank save from McGovern.They were not to be denied for long, though, and on 62 minutes Thompson moved St Mirren ahead.Kieran Sadlier, who had been substituted on for his debut at half-time, did well to drive inside from his station on the left flank before spreading the ball to Dayton on the opposite wing
Dayton drove past the challenge of Kieran MacDonald before clipping a lovely ball into the front post where Thompson volleyed beyond McGovern for his first league goal of an injury-hit season.Hamilton could have equalised almost immediately and again it was Canning who had a headed opportunity, getting a run on the St Mirren defence to meet Darian MacKinnon's lofted cross but heading straight at Marc Ridgers.Losing the goal seemed to belatedly bring Hamilton to life and Crawford had a good chance after riding a weak challenge on the edge of the box, but fired over from a narrow angle when a cross looked to be the better option.Canning then had his best opportunity of the match, when a free-kick wide on the right was beautifully clipped in by Crawford on to the head of the Hamilton boss, but he could only send his effort skidding wide of the right-hand post.That was to be as close as the visitors would come to an equaliser as St Mirren safely negotiated the final minutes to finally give their long-suffering home support something to cheer
Source : PA
Source: PA