'Weekend defeat sets up blockbuster Saturday at Dens'
At the fourth attempt this season, St Mirren denied Jack Butland a clean sheet. However, Rangers' number one did have a significant (and infuriatingly outstretched) hand in his side leaving Paisley with all three points on Sunday.
Top-scoring Buddie - and Scottish enough to be eligible for a last-minute Steve Clarke phone call this summer - Mikael Mandron also had an effective day leading the line and deserved his eighth goal of the campaign, placing a header deftly against the back post.
But for that aforementioned outstretched hand, James Bolton's athletic volley from short range would have sent the Euro-chasing Saints in at the break with a lead to protect.
As it was, the match was tied at the interval and a second defensive mix-up late in the day was enough to hand the visitors the victory.
Points are precious in this final stretch, and platitudes over a battling performance don't put any distance between ourselves and sixth-placed Dundee.
A similar 2-1 defeat for the Taysiders against Celtic means it's as you were before the two meet at Dens in a huge game this coming Saturday.
Mark Jardine can be found on the Misery Hunters.
