Alex Gogic bagged his first goal of the season at the perfect time to earn late show St Mirren a point against 10-man St Johnstone this afternoon.
The big Cypriot popped up with an equaliser as time was running out after Saintees had taken the lead through substitute Zak Rudden.
Saints were presented with a huge advantage just before half-time when McDiarmid Park midfielder Daniel Phillips was red-carded following a VAR assessment.
But the Paisley outfit couldn’t capitalise on the decision and were grateful for the point in the end as they remain fifth in the Premiership table.
Buddies boss Stephen Robinson made one change to the team which beat Ross County 1-0 with Gogic replacing the goal hero in that game, Declan Gallagher, who had a hamstring injury.
Both teams were bright and breezy in the opening minutes on a chilly Perthshire afternoon as they looked to lay down an early marker.
St Johnstone striker Nicky Clark was first to let rip with a shot over the bar while, at the other end, Thierry Small cut inside and sent an effort just wide.
The travelling support were in good voice on the left-hand side of the main stand and their team responded as the opening period wore on; pushing up the pitch and slowly applying pressure.
Small, the on-loan Southampton kid at left wing-back, impressed again and was a threat delivering the ball from within the final third.
Messrs Robinson and Callum Davidson, his Saintees counterpart, were animated figures in their respective dugouts and, for all there was hard work, the management duo were more active than each of their keepers who had yet to make a save.
In the 34th minute, however, there was a splash of enterprise to sit alongside the endeavour.
Greg Kiltie engineered down the right and played in Curtis Main, whose low cross was inadvertently guided towards his own goal by Perth skipper Liam Gordon, but keeper Remi Matthews reacted to boot the ball clear.
Two minutes later, Aussie Ryan Strain was in marauding mood and lobbed a cross-shot to the back post but Matthews scrambled and tipped the ball to safety.
Saintees developed an attack of their own almost immediately. Adam Montgomery sprinted down the left, skipping a Ryan Flynn slide tackle, and crossing for Stevie May whose bullet header was batted away with such force by Trevor Carson that he may wish to consider an alternative career in volleyball.
No Premiership game is complete without a VAR intervention these days and, with a minute of the first half remaining, Saints would benefit from the technology for the second week in a row.
Phillips went in on Flynn and was subsequently cautioned by referee Craig Napier. However, VAR official Grant Irvine invited his on-pitch colleague to take a second look.
Napier had barely viewed the screen when he changed his mind and sent Phillips packing. The Buddies were to face 10 men for the whole second half having played the final few minutes at home to County against a similar number following Owura Edwards’ dismissal.
Opportunity knocked for Robbo’s men and, within a couple of minutes of the restart, captain Mark O’Hara’s downward effort bounced inches past the post as Saints served notice of their intent.
On the hour mark, a partially-cleared free-kick landed kindly for Small but his low effort through a ruck of players was smothered by Matthews.
Three minutes later, a spell of Saints dominance resulted in an O’Hara cross finding Tony Watt at back post although his header would only clip the woodwork.
Saintees chief Davidson would be first to roll the dice in the 72nd minute as he shook up his forward line with Rudden and Theo Bair replacing Clark and May.
And the switch paid instant dividends as the home side took an unlikely lead.
Charles Dunne was judged to have fouled Rudden on the main stand touchline with a free-kick belatedly awarded.
It was Cammy MacPherson who then delivered the set-piece into a loaded box with Rudden’s shaven head guiding the ball in off the far post; Carson rooted to the spot.
The Saintees going in front was not a scenario envisaged and Robinson reacted with a triple substitution – Marcus Fraser, Flynn and Watt all off with Joe Shaughnessy, Lewis Jamieson and Kieran Offord the trio introduced.
And the Buddies would eventually get back on level terms in the 86th minute.
With the numerically-disadvantaged hosts under the cosh, Shaughnessy delivered a ball to the near post which was turned home by Gogic.
Both Gogic and Offord had efforts in injury time but the Buddies had to be content with what they had when all was said and done.
Don't miss the latest Renfrewshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
