Simon Mensing celebrates putting Hamilton into the lead
St Mirren secured top-flight football next season despite suffering a narrow defeat by Hamilton Accies.
Simon Mensing headed the visitors into the lead from a corner in the 27th minute to put St Mirren under pressure.
Garry Brady came close for the Buddies with a succession of first-half chances and David Barron was influential throughout the match.
The home fans breathed easy at the final whistle after results confirmed that Inverness had been relegated.
St Mirren needed to avoid defeat to guarantee top-flight football next season, while Hamilton secured their SPL status last week thanks to results elsewhere.
The home side forced a succession of corners in the opening minutes, with Brady delivering a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area that was deflected out for a goal-kick.
Less than 10 minutes later, Brady almost caught Hamilton keeper Sean Murdoch off-guard with a cross-cum-shot that looped in from the left and inched over the bar.
It was 20 minutes before Hamilton threatened the St Mirren goal when Derek Lyle tried an ambitious effort from 25 yards out that sailed over Mark Howard's bar.
The match took a subtle twist in the 27th minute when Mensing headed in a Brian Easton corner to put the Saints under pressure.
That single-goal advantage for Hamilton meant St Mirren had to avoid leaking further goals to remain an SPL club next season.
James McArthur drove into the St Mirren penalty area with 10 minutes of the first half left to play and delivered a looping cross, but the danger was cleared.
With three minutes to go before the interval, Brady cut in from the left-hand side and drilled in a low shot that skimmed wide of Murdoch's left-hand post.
Immediately after the restart, Joel Thomas was lucky to escape a red card for a for a nasty challenge on Saints keeper Mark Howard.
Barron latched on to a square ball on the edge of the Hamilton penalty area with 10 minutes of the second half played but ballooned his right-footed effort over the bar.
Brady scuffed a good chance wide in the 68th minute as St Mirren built up some second-half momentum.
Howard denied Thomas at the other end when the Frenchman fired in from close range.
Murdoch parried Billy Mehmet's side-footed volley out for a corner, but the Buddies were unable to capitalise on the set-piece.
Thomas wasted an opportunity to put Hamilton clear with a long-range free-kick 10 minutes from time but blasted it embarrassingly wide of the mark.
Signing target James McCarthy had a shot saved near the end before being substituted then Saints sub Stephen O'Donnell delivered a right-footed shot into the Hamilton goal that drifted wide.
St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson: "We don't want to be in this kind of situation every season in the SPL.
"There's a board meeting on Monday and the only way we can move forward is if we get investment in the team.
"We appreciate how tough it is to move forward, but we have to look to do that and that's the plan.
"The positive we take is that we're still in the SPL and we've got to learn from it.
"It's been frustrating, especially at home and before the split we had some good performances but couldn't win games.
"This club demands to be the Premier League - but there's more hard work that needs to be done, and we need to move forward and be positive."
Hamilton manager Billy Reid: "It means a lot to finish with a victory. We started the season with a victory, and we were disappointed to get turned over by our local rivals on our home patch.
"Today, we played without nerves, we passed the ball decent, we scored a goal and we deserved the points.
"The highlight this season was our six-run game where we conceded one goal. For a club like this to achieve that, takes some doing.
"But, over the full season, no-one can deny we deserve to be in the SPL next season.
"I think we'll be better prepared next season, we'll hope to progress our club, and I don't see any reason why that can't happen."
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