St Mirren 1-0 Hamilton Academical

A solitary strike from Steven Thompson gave St Mirren their first home league win of the season as Hamilton Academical's poor run continued.

St Mirren had efforts from just outside the box in the first half. Sean Kelly fired one wide before Alan Gow's strike was tipped over by Michael McGovern.

Thompson converted James Dayton's cut-back to break the deadlock.

And the striker's 49th goal for the Paisley club and may prove vital in their battle to avoid the drop.

Accies, who have failed to score in seven of their last eight matches, have now gone nine games without a win.

Thompson was making only his tenth start of an injury-hit season but St Mirren looked to their captain as they looked for a change in form on home soil.

Within three minutes the experienced striker had the first real effort for the Buddies, adjusting well to head wide a high cross from Jason Naismith that held up in the wind.

Amidst a downpour on his St Mirren debut, Gow tried his luck from long range with a 30-yard left-foot strike which had McGovern diving low to his right to make a solid save in the Accies goal.

St Mirren and Hamilton contended with heavy rain in Paisley

The Buddies Bulgarian debutant, Victor Genev, looked tidy in defence beside Jim Goodwin, but he also posed a threat at the other end from set pieces.

As Accies struggled to clear a corner, Dayton chipped the ball back into the area, Genev rose to head it goalwards, but McGovern leapt well to turn it away.

Accies had a little flurry of activity at the other end as the half drew to a close.

Jason Scotland shot wide after good link up play with Dougie Imrie. Then player-manager Martin Canning sent a header wide from a free-kick as he tried to knock it down for his strikers.

The biggest scream of the first half came from Accies' Nigel Hasselbaink as he landed after a challenge from Goodwin. Referee Crawford Allan felt a free-kick was sufficient.

There was a fiery start to the second period as Darian MacKinnon and Dayton clashed off the ball. Both were booked.

MacKinnon was fortunate he did not receive a second yellow a few minutes later when he clattered Naismith in an aerial challenge.

The home side had an appeal for a penalty rightly turned down as Thompson went down following a challenge from Ziggy Gordon.

Thompson set up the next chance for St Mirren as he chipped a neat ball into the path of John McGinn, but the midfielder's header was parried by McGovern.

But St Mirren soon got the breakthrough. Dayton did well to reach the byline before cutting back for Thompson to flick on the volley into the net.

Canning tried to rally his troops looking for the equaliser and twice went close with headers.

The Buddies came close to increasing their lead when Stephen Mallan curled a 25-yard free kick inches wide of the target but one goal proved to be enough.