St Mirren 1-0 Inverness CT
- Published
Gavin Reilly's fine strike was enough to win it for league leaders St Mirren
Gavin Reilly scored his 20th goal of the season as St Mirren beat Inverness Caley Thistle to boost their position at the top of the Championship table.
The striker's first-half counter was enough to overcome the Highlanders, who passed up a host of chances.
It was the Paisley side's third win over Caley Thistle this season and their 14th League win of the campaign.
With Falkirk thumping second placed Dundee United, St Mirren are now six points clear at the top of the table.
Celtic's new signing Lewis Morgan, back on loan at St Mirren, had the first real chance with a low shot from the edge of the penalty box that keeper Mark Ridgers saved low to his left.
Morgan then set up Cammy Smith with a neat cut back from the left. Smith's left-foot effort was blocked and Kyle Magennis fired the rebound high over.
The visitors' best early chances fell to John Baird. He first sent a left-foot half-volley wide of the post and then had a right-foot shot deflected over the bar.
Reilly, back in the starting line up after illness, gave the Paisley club the lead in the 26th minute. He took one touch to control Cammy Smith's cross from the right before blasting high into the net from six yards.
St Mirren's Lewis Morgan moved to Celtic last week but was loaned back to the Buddies
Saints went close to increasing their lead when full back Stelios Demetriou cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that rattled the bar.
Caley Thistle rallied after the interval and almost equalised with a well-worked short corner on the right. Liam Polworth played it to David Raven and his cut back found Aaron Doran, who hit a low shot inches wide of the left-hand post.
The visitors went close again when a Polworth cross from the right eluded everyone, bounced off the right hand post and looked goal-bound until keeper Craig Samson reacted to claw the ball clear.
At the other end St Mirren's Ian McShane had a shot deflected wide.
Substitute George Oakley then wasted another great chance for Caley Thistle. Carl Tremarco provided the cutback from the left and Oakley's tame shot from six yards was easily saved by Samson.
The Saints keeper then produced a brilliant stop to deny Connor Bell from point-blank range.
Oakley passed up the last chance for the Highlanders, nodding wide from Tremarco's cross late on.
St Mirren manager Jack Ross wanted his side to be more ruthless against Inverness
Post-match reaction
St Mirren manager Jack Ross: "It was a good game. It's a brilliant contribution from Gavin Reilly to have 20 goals in all competitions at this stage of the season. It was a tight angle and to finish with the conviction he did was great.
"I'd have liked us to be a bit more ruthless as the game went on. It was a difficult match in the second half.
"I didn't feel as if we were under constant pressure, there was a period when they created a couple of opportunities and Craig Samson made a couple of saves, but we created an awful lot of openings in the final third.
"There's a growing belief that we can go and achieve success this season."
Inverness manager John Robertson was happier with his side's second-half display against St Mirren
Inverness manager John Robertson: "The first half summed up why St Mirren have every chance of winning the league and why we are in the position we are in at the moment - they were sharp, they moved the ball about and they have a front four that believe they are going to score goals.
"We asked them at half time to go and play, go and believe in yourself and you saw it. We dominated the second half and created the chances. We hit the post and hit three or four straight at the keeper.
"We said to the players afterwards that, if you play like that for 90 minutes, you win the match. But it shouldn't take 45 minutes to get us going. Even the most fervent St Mirren fan, would agree that we deserved to take something from the match."