Aberdeen suffered disappointment as they failed to move level on points in the Premiership with second placed Celtic.
There was further frustration in Paisley for 10 man Aberdeen as they could not bounce back from the 2-1 Betfred Cup defeat to St Mirren at the same stadium last Saturday.
Aberdeen have now failed to win in their last four away games.
However the Reds will have been left furious at two key decisions by referee Bobby Madden.
Aberdeen went 1-0 up via a headed goal from Jonny Hayes in the first half.
Madden awarded a penalty to St Mirren near the end of the first half for hand ball when a shot from Jon Obika hit Tommie Hoban’s left arm. The defender was less than a yard away from Obika when shot.
Then early in the second half Madden sent off Lewis Ferguson when showing a second yellow card to the midfielder.
Obika looked to have collided with Ferguson who crashed to the pitch.
Yet Madden raised a second yellow and the Dons were reduced to 10 men.
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes welcomed back Ferguson, Ross McCrorie and Connor McLennan following the recent self-isolation following a Covid-19 outbreak in the Scotland U21 squad.
Ferguson and McLennan both returned negative results whilst McCrorie, who was asymptomatic, tested positive.
Ferguson and McCrorie went straight into the starting-line up with McLennan on the bench.
The midfield duo’s return was two of three changes to the starting line up that lost out to St Mirren last week in the Betfred Cup.
Centre-back Ash Taylor returned to the starting line up.
Dropping to the bench were Funso-King Ojo and Dean Campbell whilst Niall McGinn was ruled out with a groin injury.
St Mirren began on the attack and created the opening opportunity in the third minute when Jon Obika’s flicked header picked out Ilkay Durmus.
However keeper Joe Lewis superbly tipped his shot over.
An uncharacteristic mistake from Lewis gifted St Mirren the winner with just two minutes remaining in the Betfred Cup loss last weekend.
His early save underlined there was no hangover with the Dons captain from that cup error.
In the 20th minute Lewis got down well to block a left footed drive from inside the box by Dylan Connolly.
Aberdeen were enjoying far more possession with Ferguson and McCrorie in the centre of defence but were struggling to find that creative spark to test keeper Jan Alnwick.
In the 28th minute Ross McCrorie blazed an effort over the bar from the edge of the box.
St Mirren were looking the more likely to score and on the half hour mark yet again Lewis came to the rescue when a corner from Jamie McGrath was headed to Durmus who volleyed powerfully on the turn.
His 20 yard effort was blocked by the over-worked Lewis who pushed it over.
Against the run of play Aberdeen grabbed the lead in the 37th minute when Matty Kennedy delivered an exquisite cross from the left that hung up at the back post.
Jonny HAYES raced onto the cross and bulleted in a header from 12 yards at the back post.
It was a quality goal but it was Aberdeen’s first real chance.
Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes makes it 0-1 and celebrates with Matthew Kennedy.St Mirren controversially levelled in the 43rd minute when a hooked shot from Jon Obika hit Tommie Hoban’s left arm.
Hoban was less than a yard from the shot and was defending against Durmus so did not put his arm out to make himself bigger.
It was harsh on the Dons.
Jamie McGRATH, who netted the winner in the cup tie, sent Lewis the wrong way to convert the spot kick.
Aberdeen were reduced to 10 men in the 51st minute when Ferguson was dismissed for a second yellow card.
The midfielder was harshly booked. Ferguson ran over to challenge Obika who stepped into his path and knocked over the Dons midfielder who went down holding his face.
Somehow referee Bobby Madden deemed the foul was by Ferguson.
It was the wrong call from Madden.
Ferguson had been booked in the first half for clattering into McGrath.
Having missed the last three matches because of the Covid-19 outbreak with the Scotland U21 squad Ferguson will now miss next Saturday’s home match with Ross County.
As it is a second yellow there is also no room for appeal for Aberdeen.
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes was also booked by referee Madden for remonstrating with the whistler.
In the 58th minute Hoban superbly headed clear to deny Erhahon who was ready to connect in front of goal.
Then in the 70th minute an inswigning free-kick delivered from Durmus nearly picked out Conor McCarthy who was inches short of connecting.
In the 88th minute substitute Ryan Edmondson burst in on goal but with only the keeper to beat fired a low 15 yard drive at Jak Alnwick.
Keeper Lewis saved a point in the 90th minute when he raced off his line to save at the feet of Richard Tait.
It was another dismal day in Paisley for the Dons… but referee Madden certainly didn’t help their cause.
