Aberdeen’s worrying slide towards relegation continued with another disappointing Scottish Premiership defeat, as a resurgent St Mirren side secured a deserved win in Paisley.
Jonah Ayunga opened the scoring with a low, driven finish - his first goal since December’s League Cup final - setting the tone for a difficult afternoon for the visitors.
The result leaves Aberdeen level on points with St Mirren and only three points clear of Kilmarnock in the 11th-place relegation play-off spot.
St Mirren sealed the victory late on when Alex Gogic powered home a header from a Scott Tanser corner, exposing Aberdeen’s ongoing vulnerability from set-pieces.
It marked a frustrating return to Paisley for Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson, who left St Mirren last month.
Now winless in three matches with his new side, Robinson saw little improvement from the team that had been heavily beaten by Rangers two weeks earlier.
Aberdeen’s defensive frailties were evident throughout, particularly when dealing with crosses.
St Mirren could have been comfortably ahead by half-time, with Liam Donnelly seeing a header tipped over before striking the crossbar soon after.
Miguel Freckleton also missed a close-range opportunity, while Donnelly hesitated when well placed from a deep free-kick.
Despite a slight improvement after the break, Aberdeen offered little attacking threat.
They finished the match without a single shot on target and struggled to trouble St Mirren goalkeeper Shamal George, despite enjoying around 40% possession.
While results elsewhere mean Aberdeen avoided slipping closer to the relegation play-off spot, their performances remain a major concern.
Robinson himself admitted before the match that his squad has quality but lacks direction - a problem still evident on the pitch.
Even during their better second-half spell, Aberdeen failed to create meaningful chances, highlighting the scale of the task facing their manager as he attempts to halt the team’s decline.
On the other side, interim St Mirren boss Craig McLeish continues to make a positive impression.
His team dominated the first half and arguably should have put the game beyond doubt earlier.
While they faced more pressure after the interval, St Mirren remained composed and controlled possession effectively, finishing with nearly 60% of the ball.
With two wins from his first three matches, McLeish has provided a solid platform as St Mirren look to secure their Premiership status - while Aberdeen are left searching for answers amid a deepening crisis.
