St Mirren were welcomed onto the pitch by a fireworks display – from just behind the main stand – and a Halloween Beetlejuice sign imploring that ‘it’s showtime.’
They got their show with a peach of a goal from Scott Tanser but there was a fair bit to unnerve them in an opening period that belonged to St Johnstone. It took Benji Kimpioka just eight minutes to open the scoring and, but for VAR, the visitors would have been out of sight by the break.
The second-half that was in stark contrast to the first as they found their groove.
By the time VAR had disallowed St Johnstone a second goal on the 20-minute mark, there would have been more than a few supporters spooked.
They were already a goal down after Benji Kimpioka’s opener when he got on the end of Jack Sanders’ header to send the ball into the back of the net. A lengthy VAR check ensued before the goal was allowed to stand.
Itv was St Johnstone who looked the more menacing before Scott Tanner pulled St Mirren into the game with an exquisite strike fro the corner of the St Johnstone box as he curled a sumptuous effort into the top right hand corner.
It prompted a brief flurry from St Mirren with Toyosi Olusanya coming close.
St Johnstone, though, were aggrieved after VAR chopped off another after Adama Sidibieh’s lob didn’t count as he was judged to have fouled Charles Dunne in the build-up.
The visitors had cause to rue their profligacy as they faced a different St Mirren side after the break.
They emerged with the bit between their teeth. O’Hara was denied by a last gasp block before Ross Sinclair had to tip away an effort from Ross Sinclair onto his crossbar before Olusanya had an effort deflected wide.
Their pressure paid off when O’Hara gave them the lead when his header was deflected in off the post from Marcus Fraser’s delivery.
They thought they had a third when Killian Phillips netted only for VAR to be back in the thick of it. Again, it chopped it off, citing a foul in the build-up.
It was a stay of execution with Jonah Ayunga adding a third in added time, much to the delight of the home support.
St Johnstone tried to force a leveller in the closing stages with the hosts holding firm for a win that ends a sequence of four successive league defeats.
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