Dundee United stopped St Mirren celebrating clinching the Championship title at Tannadice thanks to a display full of fight.
The home team raced into the lead on three minutes thanks to a strike from Billy King and, despite some intense pressure at times, they battled to what was, in the end, a deserved win.
The Buddies left the field dejected but their champagne will just be on ice for a little while longer and they will still be in the Premiershiup next season.
United can take a lot out of this performance and result, which finally saw them play with some fire in their bellies.
They tackled with too much tenacity at times, picking up bookings along the way, but at least they showed the supporters that the outcome of this game mattered to them.
They stayed in fourth spot in the table but are level on the 52-point mark with Dunfermline, having played a fixture fewer.
The Tangerines made four changes to the starting line-up from the dismal 3-2 defeat at Dumbarton on Saturday.
Into the team came goalkeeper Deniz, Mark Durnan, Grant Gillespie and Thomas Mikkelsen, with Harry Lewis, Tam Scobbie, Matty Smith and Scott McDonald making way.
The St Mirren stands were packed out with supporters who had made the trip from Paisley looking for a party.
It was the home fans who were celebrating on three minutes, though, when they took a dramatic lead.
Paul McMullan broke up the left and into the box before squaring the ball across the area. It seemed to be heading behind King but he did well to control it and then slam a low left-foot shot past keeper Craig Samson to open the scoring.
On eight minutes, the Buddies tried to strike back but the freekick from Kyle Magennis was just a couple of yards too wide.
McMullan had what looked like a netbound shot headed away by Gary MacKenzie for a corner on 14 minutes and when the resultant setpiece came over there was momentary panic in the Buddies’ defence before the whistle blew for a foul on MacKenzie.
On 24 minutes, Saints’ Adam Eckersley let fly with a shot from 25 yards that skimmed the home bar before home frontman Mikkelsen picked up a booking.
Stewart Murdoch was on hand to boot clear when a MacKenzie header dropped at the back post as the Buddies pressed.
Liam Smith then played a ball in that was flicked on to the home bar by Danny Mullen but Deniz’s goal stayed intact as the game passed the half-hour mark.
McMullan became the second Tangerine to have his name taken on 41 minutes for going in late on Liam Smith.
In the closing minute of the first half, Durnan conceded a freekick when he fouled Mullen 35 yards out to pick up a booking but Lewis Morgan wasted the setpiece and United stayed ahead at the break.
The visitors raced out of the traps after the restart and Bilel Mohsni headed inches over his own bar on 48 minutes.
Just past the hour, United won a corner down at the tunnel and McMullan’s ball in was headed wide of the far post by Mikkelsen.
The Buddies brought on Gavin Reilly for Mullen on 63 minutes as they continued to look for a leveller.
United then had a chance when Mikkelsen broke into the Saints’ box but the Dane was just too wide right and his angled drive was well held by goalie Samson.
It was tense out there, with the visitors posing a constant threat but the hosts always poised to break forward when given the chance.
The Buddies brought on former Dundee frontman John Sutton for captain Stephen McGinn on 73 minutes but the next opportunity fell to the Tangerines.
It was midfielder Sam Stanton who stung the hands of keeper Samson with strike from 12 yards out after King had tried to tee himself up inside the box.
Saints made their final substitution of the night when they brought on Myles Hippolyte for Cammy Smith on 79 minutes before United’s Murdoch was booked.
The Paisley men kept pushing but United tried to counter that pressure by bringing on comeback man Jordie Briels for the more attack-minded McMullan with just four minutes to go.
Sutton looked like he might he might get on the end of a long ball into the United box but Deniz did well to block.
The Tangerines made a late substitution, bringing on Declan Glass for scorer King, and it was a blast past by St Mirren sub Hippolyte that was the last chance of the match.
Attendance: 5,905.
Dundee United: Deniz, Murdoch, Durnan, McMullan (Briels 86), Mikkelsen, King (Glass 90), Stanton, Flood, Gillespie, Ralston, Mohsni. Subs not used: Lewis, Scobbie, Robson, M. Smith, Mason.
St Mirren: Samson, McGinn (Sutton 73), MacKenzie, Magennis, Morgan, C. Smith (Hippolyte 79), Flynn, Davis, L. Smith, Mullen (Reilly 63), Eckersley. Subs not used: Stewart, Demetriou, Baird, McShane.
Referee: Andrew Dallas.
