St Mirren missed an excellent likelihood to copy final season's seventh place end after being held to a irritating goalless draw by Livingston.
The Buddies went into the conflict realizing a win was required to claw again the deficit on the Lions, who went into the sport three factors forward of the hosts and with a far better objective distinction.
The Paisley facet produced the perfect possibilities within the first half and the second however simply could not convert when it mattered.
Curtis Essential's highly effective header smacked off the bottom of the publish within the opening 45 minutes, whereas Alex Greive slammed large from a wonderful place with simply ten minutes left on the clock.
Substitute Jay Henderson thought he'd bagged Saints the winner late on, solely to see his low strike dramatically cleared off the road by Nicky Devlin.
St Mirren now head to Pittodrie on Sunday for his or her final sport of the season, seeking to keep forward of Jim Goodwin's struggling facet and Hibs to cling on to what could be a decent eighth spot after a reasonably turbulent marketing campaign.
Stephen Robinson introduced fan favorite Ryan Flynn again into the beginning XI for the primary time since he confronted Rangers on Boxing Day, with the 33-year-old slotting in at proper wing again rather than the injured Richard Tait.
Essential and Greive continued to guide the road having struck up a promising partnership within the Buddies' earlier two victories, with the Saints unbeaten of their earlier 5 conferences with the Lions in Paisley.
The pair linked up properly with simply 5 minutes on the clock. Essential's intelligent flick discovered Greive simply contained in the field, with the New Zealand worldwide's effort deflected away by a Livingston defender.
Essential has proven a marked enchancment in latest video games, and he continued to guide the press early on because the Saints penned the guests into their very own half.
There was little or no in the best way of goalmouth motion within the first quarter of an hour for the house followers to get enthusiastic about although, with each goalkeepers digital spectators early on.
The match was being performed at a pedestrian tempo, with Livingston lastly producing the primary shot of the match on the 22 minute mark as Jak Alnwick saved properly from Alan Forrest's low strike.
Flynn then threatened to open the scoring when he was inches away from getting on the tip of Essential's harmful cross.
Livi defender Sean Kelly was first into the guide after he hacked Greg Kiltie down because the playmaker regarded to burst down the proper wing.
From the ensuing set piece Essential powered Scott Tanser's tempting supply on to the bottom of Ivan Konovalov's publish, with the stopper rooted to his line.
The guests had been subsequent to go shut as Caleb Chukwuemeka rose unopposed to nod Kelly's nook large, with the sport lastly coming to life within the late night sunshine.
Kiltie weaved his well past two Livi gamers earlier than seeing his long-range effort blocked, with the Buddies urgent onerous for an opener.
Livi had been nonetheless posing a critical risk on the break although, with Alnwick once more referred to as into motion to beat away Forrest's effort after he weaved his method by means of the house defence for the second time.
Forrest joined Kelly within the guide quickly after for hauling down Ethan Erhahon, earlier than Alex Gogic's defence-splitting cross arrange Greive. The striker minimize inside however his try was cleared to security.
Joel Nouble spurned an excellent likelihood to open the scoring simply earlier than half-time when he latched onto a Jackson Longridge cross. He took too lengthy to get his shot away, with the Saints skipper Joe Shaughnessy finally blocking to make sure the perimeters went into the break goalless.
Each groups returned unchanged, with the groups choosing up the place they left off with neither threatening the scoreboard early on.
Jack Fitzwater went into the guide for scything Erhahon down as he broke down the left wing, with Gogic becoming a member of him shortly after for bringing down Chukwuemeka as the sport turned more and more disjointed.
Nicky Devlin nearly caught Alnwick out with a fierce long-range strike, with the Saints primary acrobatically tipping his effort over the bar.
St Mirren had been blunt up entrance however Erhahon nearly created an opener after sliding Flynn into the field with a beautiful reverse cross. The skilled midfielder fired straight at Konovalov with the objective at his mercy.
Shaughnessy noticed an effort blocked on the sting of the field because the hosts threatened to lastly break the impasse.
The Buddies produced the perfect likelihood of the second half with simply ten minutes to go when Kiltie burst down the left wing to latch on to an Alan Energy cross.
His teasing cross discovered Greive unmarked on the entrance publish, with the striker directing his effort agonisingly large with Konovalov properly overwhelmed.
The Saints saved urgent late into the sport for a winner, with substitute Jay Henderson's low drive wanting like incomes a dramatic late victory earlier than Devlin heroically hacked the shot off the road.
And there was nearly a late sting within the tail when Livingston sub Odin Bailey's curling strike rattled the crossbar with Alnwick properly overwhelmed.