Killian Phillips Scores Again to Keep St Mirren at the Top

Killian Phillips kept his nerve, kept his form and kept St Mirren on top of the William Hill Premiership.

Seven days after announcing himself with a debut double at Falkirk, the midfielder delivered again, this time from 12 yards, to edge out St Johnstone 1-0 in Paisley and secure a second straight Saturday night at the summit.

Phillips delivers, Chapman denies

This was not a flowing, free-scoring statement win. It was a grind, decided by two penalties at opposite ends and by a goalkeeper who refused to blink.

St Johnstone had the first big chance to seize control. Early in the second half, VAR stepped in when Alex Gogic was judged to have handled as he challenged for a long throw into the box. Referee Ross Hardie pointed to the spot, Jamie Gullan stepped up, and the away end stirred.

Jacob Chapman shut it all down.

The St Mirren goalkeeper guessed left, sprang full length and beat away Gullan’s effort, a strong right hand turning a potential turning point into a surge of noise from the home support. It was the defining moment of his night, but not his only contribution.

Before that, the opening 45 minutes had been tight, tense and short on clear openings. Both sides arrived with opening-day wins and both looked like teams determined not to give an inch. The one real chance fell to Samuel Ramos, who met Chris Mochrie’s cross with a firm header but directed it straight at Toby Steward. The St Johnstone keeper could only push the ball up into the air, and a frantic scramble followed before the visitors hacked clear.

St Mirren’s evening took an early knock when Marcus Fraser limped off, forcing Craig McLeish to reshuffle, with Liam Donnelly slotting in at centre-back. It did little to change the pattern: organised, committed, but cagey.

A tale of two keepers

If Chapman’s penalty save lifted St Mirren, it also lit a fire under Gullan. The forward went looking for redemption, sliding a clever pass into the path of Matty Foulds, who burst onto it from the left. Foulds’ low shot skimmed just wide of the far post, a warning that Simo Valakari’s side were far from finished.

McLeish responded from the bench. A double change brought fresh energy, and almost an instant breakthrough. Luke Thomas drove down the left and slipped Jake Young in behind. The striker bore down on goal, appeared to be tugged by Cheick Diabate as he struck, and dragged his shot wide of the far upright. Appeals went up, but Hardie waved play on.

The pressure, though, was building down that same flank. St Mirren kept returning to it, probing, stretching, forcing St Johnstone back.

Then came the decisive misjudgement.

With 17 minutes left, Declan John clipped a forward pass into the channel. Steward moved to collect, seemingly in control of the situation, unaware of Ramos darting across his path. The St Johnstone keeper collided with the midfielder, brought him down and turned a routine gather into a clumsy, costly penalty.

Phillips needed only the shortest of run-ups. One step, a calm side-foot, Steward sent the wrong way. Net bulging. Two goals in two league games, three for the season, and St Mirren in front.

Late scares, top spot secured

The goal opened the game up. St Mirren chased a second, peppering the box with efforts as St Johnstone pushed bodies forward. Several shots were blocked in quick succession, the home side sensing a chance to kill the contest but finding a wall of blue shirts in the way.

They almost paid for that wastefulness.

From a corner at the other end, Diabate rose highest and thumped a header off the post, Chapman beaten. The ball flew back into a crowded area and was hacked clear, a collective exhale rippling around the ground.

St Mirren still looked dangerous on the break. Young, lively after his introduction, forced Steward into a save in stoppage time as the hosts broke out from deep, refusing to simply sit on the edge of their own box.

Yet St Johnstone would not go quietly. Ruari Paton led one last surge, slipping Gullan through again, but the striker’s finish lacked conviction and he was smothered by a combination of Steward and Ryan Carr tracking back.

The final minutes were played almost entirely in St Johnstone territory, St Mirren pinning them in and running down the clock with the assurance of a team that suddenly believes in its place at the top.

Two games, two wins, one in a flood of goals, the other carved out on fine margins and big moments. McLeish’s side have shown they can dazzle and they can dig in. The question now is how long they can make this view from the summit last.