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Stevie Mallan scored his seventh goal of the season to put Saints ahead

Stevie Mallan's first-half effort and a penalty from Rory Loy helped St Mirren to a fourth win in six Championship games to boost their survival bid.

Queen of the South edged the early exchanges, Dominic Thomas smashing an effort against the bar and Stephen Dobbie going close from distance.

But Saints took the lead when Mallan struck from close range.

And when Lewis Morgan was fouled in the area, Loy stepped up to send Queens keeper James Atkinson the wrong way.

Victory kept St Mirren a point behind Ayr, who won 1-0 at Dunfermline, but took them to within four points of Dumbarton and five behind Raith Rovers and Dunfermline, with seven games left.

Queens remain in fifth, nine points off the play-off spots.