St Mirren missed a glorious chance to replicate last season's seventh place finish after being held to a frustrating goalless draw by Livingston.
The Buddies went into the clash knowing a win was required to claw back the deficit on the Lions, who went into the game three points ahead of the hosts and with a far greater goal difference.
The Paisley side produced the best chances in the first half and the second but just couldn't convert when it mattered.
Curtis Main's powerful header smacked off the base of the post in the opening 45 minutes, while Alex Greive slammed wide from an excellent position with just ten minutes left on the clock.
Substitute Jay Henderson thought he'd bagged Saints the winner late on, only to see his low strike dramatically cleared off the line by Nicky Devlin.
St Mirren now head to Pittodrie on Sunday for their last game of the season, looking to stay ahead of Jim Goodwin's struggling side and Hibs to cling on to what would be a respectable eighth spot after a fairly turbulent campaign.
Stephen Robinson brought fan favourite Ryan Flynn back into the starting XI for the first time since he faced Rangers on Boxing Day, with the 33-year-old slotting in at right wing back in place of the injured Richard Tait.
Main and Greive continued to lead the line having struck up a promising partnership in the Buddies' previous two victories, with the Saints unbeaten in their previous five meetings with the Lions in Paisley.
The pair linked up nicely with just five minutes on the clock. Main's clever flick found Greive just inside the box, with the New Zealand international's effort deflected away by a Livingston defender.
Main has shown a marked improvement in recent games, and he continued to lead the press early on as the Saints penned the visitors into their own half.
There was very little in the way of goalmouth action in the first quarter of an hour for the home fans to get excited about though, with both goalkeepers virtual spectators early on.
The match was being played at a pedestrian pace, with Livingston finally producing the first shot of the match on the 22 minute mark as Jak Alnwick saved well from Alan Forrest's low strike.
Flynn then threatened to open the scoring when he was inches away from getting on the end of Main's dangerous pass.
Livi defender Sean Kelly was first into the book after he hacked Greg Kiltie down as the playmaker looked to burst down the right wing.
From the resulting set piece Main powered Scott Tanser's tempting delivery on to the base of Ivan Konovalov's post, with the stopper rooted to his line.
The visitors were next to go close as Caleb Chukwuemeka rose unopposed to nod Kelly's corner wide, with the game finally coming to life in the late evening sunshine.
Kiltie weaved his way past two Livi players before seeing his long-range effort blocked, with the Buddies pressing hard for an opener.
Livi were still posing a serious threat on the break though, with Alnwick again called into action to beat away Forrest's effort after he weaved his way through the home defence for the second time.
Forrest joined Kelly in the book soon after for hauling down Ethan Erhahon, before Alex Gogic's defence-splitting pass set up Greive. The striker cut inside but his attempt was cleared to safety.
Joel Nouble spurned a glorious chance to open the scoring just before half-time when he latched onto a Jackson Longridge pass. He took too long to get his shot away, with the Saints skipper Joe Shaughnessy eventually blocking to ensure the sides went into the break goalless.
Both teams returned unchanged, with the teams picking up where they left off with neither threatening the scoreboard early on.
Jack Fitzwater went into the book for scything Erhahon down as he broke down the left wing, with Gogic joining him shortly after for bringing down Chukwuemeka as the game became increasingly disjointed.
Nicky Devlin almost caught Alnwick out with a fierce long-range strike, with the Saints number one acrobatically tipping his effort over the bar.
St Mirren were blunt up front but Erhahon almost created an opener after sliding Flynn into the box with a wonderful reverse pass. The experienced midfielder fired straight at Konovalov with the goal at his mercy.
Shaughnessy saw an effort blocked on the edge of the box as the hosts threatened to finally break the deadlock.
The Buddies produced the best chance of the second half with just ten minutes to go when Kiltie burst down the left wing to latch on to an Alan Power pass.
His teasing cross found Greive unmarked at the front post, with the striker directing his effort agonisingly wide with Konovalov well beaten.
The Saints kept pressing late into the game for a winner, with substitute Jay Henderson's low drive looking like earning a dramatic late victory before Devlin heroically hacked the shot off the line.
And there was almost a late sting in the tail when Livingston sub Odin Bailey's curling strike rattled the crossbar with Alnwick well beaten.
