By Callum McFadden at St Mirren Park.
Scottish League Cup holders St Mirren defeated Partick Thistle in a tense and cagey Scottish Premiership Play-off Final second leg to preserve their top-flight status.
Few Saints supporters could have imagined finding themselves in the position of needing to survive a relegation play-off under the interim management of Craig McLeish, especially after the club’s memorable victory over Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic at Hampden in December to lift the Scottish League Cup under former manager Stephen Robinson.
With so much riding on the game, the first half proved to be a tense and cagey affair. Neither side was able to establish sustained spells of possession, with clear-cut chances at a premium throughout. Goalkeepers Ross Sinclair and Josh Clarke were largely untroubled as both defences stood firm.
Mikael Mandron came closest to breaking the deadlock for St Mirren, dragging an effort narrowly wide late in the half, while Partick Thistle’s best opening fell to Ben McPherson, whose deflected strike was gathered comfortably by Sinclair in the Saints’ goal.
St Mirren began the second half with far greater urgency and intensity to their play. Jake Young came agonisingly close to opening the scoring when he unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box, forcing Clarke into a superb full-stretch save to tip the ball over the bar.
Partick Thistle responded with an excellent opportunity of their own moments later. Alex Samuel twisted his way into space inside the Saints’ penalty area before driving a low effort towards the bottom-left corner, but Ross Sinclair reacted sharply to produce a vital save and keep the scores level.
Craig McLeish turned to his bench just after the hour mark, introducing club captain Mark O’Hara and Roland Idowu in an effort to swing the game in St Mirren’s favour, and within five minutes, the move paid off.
O’Hara delivered a pinpoint free-kick into the path of Marcus Fraser, who thundered his finish in off the crossbar beyond the helpless Clarke to hand Saints a crucial lead.
Mark Wilson introduced the experienced Gary Mackay-Steven in the hope of finding a route back into the game, and Partick Thistle nearly found an equaliser in the 78th minute.
A sizeable away support continue to push Partick Thistle on in the hope of seeing an equaliser.
Just under 20 mins to go. pic.twitter.com/Fvf3nYAh2q
— Callum McFadden (@Callum7McFadden) May 25, 2026
Logan Chalmers whipped a powerful free-kick towards goal, but Ross Sinclair was equal to it, producing an impressive save to push the effort over the crossbar.
Partick continued to push forward at every available opportunity in the remaining ten minutes, but St Mirren defended resolutely to secure victory and retain their Scottish Premiership status.
St Mirren: Sinclair, Fraser, Gogic, Freckleton, Richardson (King, 85), Phillips (Nlundulu, 88), Devaney, Campbell (O’Hara, 62), Tanser, Young (Idowu, 62), Mandron.
Substitutes: Tamosevicius, King, O’Hara, McMenamin, Falconer, Idowu, Calvin, Douglas, Nlundulu.
Partick Thistle: Clarke, McPherson (Logan, 45), Ashcroft, Loughrey, Reading (Lets’osa, 75), McBeth (Chalmers, 68), Crawford (Turner, 83), Stanway (Mackay-Steven, 75), Fitzpatrick, Watt, Samuel.
Substitutes: Budinauckas, Logan, Turner, Chalmers, Mackay-Steven, Falconer, Dolan, Lets’osa.