Dundee United came from behind to secure a 3-1 William Hill Premiership win over 10-man St Mirren at Tannadice.
The Buddies opened the scoring through Dan Nlundulu with his first goal for the club and had the better of the first half but United equalised just before the break thanks to a Zac Sapsford free-kick.
The Terrors then took the lead with Amar Fatah netting a controversial penalty that saw Alex Gogic sent off before Craig Sibbald put the game beyond doubt late on.
The win moved United up to third in the table while St Mirren dropped to ninth after what was their third straight defeat.
The hosts made three changes to the team that drew with Rangers at Ibrox last Saturday with Panutche Camara, Nikolaj Moller and Iurie Iovu coming in for Ivan Dolcek, Julius Eskesen and Fatah.
After last week’s defeat to Aberdeen, St Mirren brought in Conor McMenamin and Jonah Ayunga for Mikael Mandron and the suspended Jaydon Richardson.
Following an even opening, St Mirren took the lead in the 18th minute. A Declan John cross from the left was deflected towards goal and home keeper Yevhenii Kucherenko could only palm the ball upwards with Nlundulu on hand to nod home from close range.
United struggled to respond to that setback with St Mirren keeper Shamal George having little to do.
Nlundulu then had a gilt-edged chance to double Saints’ advantage when Mark O’Hara found him with a corner but the striker bulleted his header inches wide.
Instead, it was the hosts who scored next in the 42nd minute.
George came to collect a loose ball but was just outside his box with referee John Beaton awarding a free-kick and booking the keeper.
It proved to be another costly goalkeeping gaffe with Sapsford hitting a clinical right-foot strike into the bottom corner for his fifth goal of the season so far.
The hosts made a quickfire start to the second half with Sibbald threading a great ball to Camara who raced through on goal but George did enough to snuff out the danger.
The Buddies had a chance of their own on the hour mark but Killian Phillips could not keep his shot down and the ball flew over Kucherenko’s bar.
The Terrors then came close when Sapsford crossed from the right towards Bert Esselink but the Dutch defender’s acrobatic overhead kick whizzed just past the frame of the goal.
However, United took the lead in the 84th minute. Beaton was called over to the pitchside monitor by VAR after a Gogic challenge on Moller with the referee pointing to the spot and showing the St Mirren player a straight red card. Sub Fatah stepped up and sent George the wrong way.
Six minutes later, Sibbald put the icing on the cake with a sublime curler from the edge of the St Mirren box.
