Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

A late goal from Ryan Flynn gave St Mirren their first Scottish Premiership win of 2019 and moves the bottom side to within one point of Dundee.

In a game badly affected by howling wind and rain, Chris Erskine blazed a fantastic opportunity over the top as Livingston made a strong start.

There were few chances thereafter as players struggled against the elements.

But Flynn was in the right place to poke in from close range after Liam Kelly saved from Simeon Jackson.

Following draws at Pittodrie and Tynecastle, St Mirren have given themselves a chance of top-flight survival, having looked directionless and doomed throughout January.

Livingston remain ninth, safe from any relegation worries, but have now won just one of their past 11 outings in all competitions and have picked up a mere eight points on the road this season.

Vital finish from Flynn

After a mild midweek, the Scottish winter weather returned with wild winds and driving rain in Paisley.

Livingston felt the benefit of it in the early stages, winning corner after corner before Erskine spurned a brilliant opportunity. The former Partick Thistle man was match-winner last time out against Kilmarnock, and should have netted again when Keaghan Jacobs' free-kick was pushed to him by goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky before he scooped over the crossbar from 10 yards.

Saints' front pairing of Anders Dreyer and Duckens Nazon gradually began to cause the visitors problems.

Danish forward Dreyer is like Andrey Arshavin, his low centre of gravity made him hard to track and dispossess, while Nazon is all pace and power. His low shot was well saved at the near post by the foot of Kelly, while Jack Baird could not find the right connection for Dreyer's delivery on another occasion.

St Mirren had the fierce wind behind them after the break and as managers Oran Kearney and Gary Holt stood soaked on the touchline, Flynn's dipping shot tested Kelly.

The conditions descended to their swirling nadir at the same time the Buddies found that little bit extra to secure all three points.

Credit to Jackson, who surged forward on the counter-attack, and cut inside a couple of Livi defenders before sending a left-foot shot goalwards that Kelly could only palm away. Flynn was the beneficiary and even though it was hardly the tidiest of finishes, it was a vitally important one.

Analysis - A turning point for St Mirren?

St Mirren are now just one point behind Dundee at the foot of the Premiership and have gone unbeaten in three matches, taking five points out of nine.

But it's also the psychological impact of this victory - that goal could be a pivotal turning point in the Buddies' season and perhaps the great escape plan is now on.

Livingston had their glorious chance in the first half and spurned it, and in these testing conditions it was always going to be hard to separate the teams.

'Nice reward' for battling Buddies - reaction

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney: "It's been a while since I experienced a last-minute winner. It's a nice reward on the back of the previous two performances. To make those two points valuable, we knew we needed the three today.

"Ryan Flynn's had a brilliant month for us; I don't know where he gets the energy from to start the move and then pop up to squeeze it in."

Livingston manager Gary Holt: "It's not sore - it's naivety. It's game management and professionalism. We should just see the game out and it's something we need to learn.

"The players need to learn that instructions given on the park need to be carried out to the letter. It's just disappointing that we've chucked away a good point."