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By Chick Young BBC Scotland at the Paisley 2021 Stadium

Stevie Mallan's free-kick put St Mirren 2-1 up

St Mirren moved to within a point of Ayr at the bottom of the Scottish Championship and put another dent in Dundee United's promotion hopes.

Harry Davis struck early on to put the Buddies ahead against United.

Tony Andreu equalised but Stevie Mallan's free-kick restored St Mirren's lead before the break.

And Lewis Morgan's close-range effort in the second period gave the Paisley side a cushion, with Andreu pulling one back for the visitors.

St Mirren and Dundee United will meet again on 25 March in the Challenge Cup final at Fir Park.

Morgan (right) scored after being called up to the Scotland Under-21 squad

Manager Jack Ross guided the Buddies to their first win since 1 March and also cut the gap on eighth-placed Raith Rovers to four points, while Ayr have a game in hand.

The hosts were ahead with less than two minutes on the clock. William Edjenguele handled and Mallan's set-piece delivery was headed into a crowded area by Rory Loy.

Defender Davis won the scramble to force the ball home and score his third goal since joining on loan from Crewe Alexandra.

The Paisley team were dominating with Billy O'Brien not even touching the ball but the goalkeeper was soon picking it out of his net after Andreu found himself unmarked and had a simple job of levelling with a low shot.

Andreu (right) briefly brought United level and later scored a consolation

St Mirren regained the lead with a phenomenal free-kick from Mallan. Right-footed from the left side 30 yards out, he shaped to play in a cross but then whipped the ball in at Cammy Bell's right post.

It was a ridiculous piece of skill which deserved witnessing by more than a disappointing attendance of 2,766.

Both teams sustained first-half injury problems. Thomas Mikkelsen, who later headed off the post, replaced Scott Fraser for United and goalscorer Davis was taken off on a stretcher with a serious kneecap injury, Jack Baird coming on.

St Mirren got their third against the run of play. After United had survived a couple of efforts on goal, the ball fell for Morgan to convert a straightforward tap-in.

But United in general, and Andreu in particular, refused to surrender the points without a fight. The on-loan Norwich City forward scored his second with a fine low drilled shot.

The hosts hung on for a vital victory that could yet help bring them Championship survival while United remain 10 points off leaders Hibernian after missing the chance to move above Greenock Morton into third.