St Mirren 0 - 0 Hibernian: An afternoon of mediocrity in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash

HIBS paid their last visit to Love Street as St Mirren prepare to move to their spanking new stadium but again the Edinburgh club departed Paisley without a victory.

Not since now boss Mixu Paatelainen initiated a win in 1999 had Hibs won at Love Street and, to be truthful, there were few signs of them ending that run this afternoon despite Paatelainen again going with an enterprising three man attack as the 90 minutes ended in a goal-less stalemate.

Paatelainen's side survived an early scare as Billy Mehmet beat goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay to a through ball only to find the angle too tight as Sol Bamba came back to usher the ball out of play before Saints Gary Brady unleashed a shot which nestled comfortably in the big Belgian's arms.

The Easter Road side had again gone with three forwards in Colin Nish, Derek Riordan and Steven Fletcher but Paatelainen, sitting in the stand alongside chairman Rod Petrie as he started a four match touchline ban, would have been disappointed over the opening 45 minutes at the lack of opportunities created.

Part of the reaason was that in their anxiety to get at their opponents the Hibs players were guilty of too much one-touch football with passes regularly missing their intended targets. As a result the Love Street side were able to pick off those passes and initiate attacks of their own with full-back Franco Miranda finding space to get down the left flank, one deflected shot zipping past Ma-Kalambay's far post and a later effort beaten away by the Hibs goalkeeper.

While Ma-Kalambay was kept reasonably busy his opposite number Mark Howard was relatively untroubled, John Rankin dispatching a tame shot in his direction after clever play had left him with a clear sight of goal while Riordan could do little better with a free-kick from 25 yards.

Hibs did have muted claims for a penalty – mostly from those fans who had travelled from Edinburgh and massed at the opposite end of the ground – when Dean Shiels, having latched onto a super pass from Riordan, went down under the challenge of Jack Ross.

Referee Stephen Finnie was uninterested, however, and, to be fair, there were no complaints from Shiels or any of his team-mates as Saints went to the other end of the park where former Hearts striker Dennis Wyness briefly threatened before being snuffed out by the combined efforts of Bamba, Rob Jones and Ian Murray.

All in all the first half had been a thoroughly scrappy affair with Hibs, having come through a tough fixture schedule in recent weeks, showing little sign of notching their first win in Paisley since 1999 on what was their last visit to Love Street before the Buddie's move to their new stadium after 115 years at their present ground.

Although there had been little in the way of controversy, referee Finnie had to step in to have a quiet word after Fletcher and Gary Mason clashed in the centre circle.

Howard was forced into his first meaningful save in the 53rd minute when Shiels clever pass allowed Riordan a rare glimpse of goal, the Saints keeper blocking the Hibs striker's angled shot and recovering to retrieve the ball.

Four minutes later Ian Murray appeared to get the merest of touches on a Miranda cross to prevent Mehmet opening the scoring, the home side incensed as Finnie pointed for a bye-kick rather than the corner.

Saints had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the 61st minute as Scott Cuthbert dispossessed Rankin at the edge of his own penalty area before sliding a pass out to Brady on the right wing. He picked out Wyness at the back post but Ma-Kalambay saved with his legs.

At the other end Shiels went close with a shot from a Fletcher knock-down as both sides began to sense one goal might be enough to secure all three points.

Hibs had improved from their poor first half showing but were still finding it difficult to open up the home defence although Fletcher managed to get himself into position for a shot which, again, did little to trouble Howard although the Saints goalkeeper had to look sharp to push over a rising shot from substitute Fabian Yantorno as the game entered it's last ten minutes.

St Mirren: Howard, Ross, Potter, Cuthbert, Miranda, Robb, Mason, H Murray, Brady (Dorman 78), Mehmet, Wyness (Dargo 69). Subs not used: C Smith, Hamilton, McAusland, McGinn, McShane.

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, Van Zanten, Bamba, Jones, Stevenson, Shiels (Keenan 80), I Murray, Rankin (Yantorno 66), Fletcher, Nish (Pinau 76), Riordan. Subs not used: McNeil, Hogg, Thicot, Chisholm.

Referee: Stephen Finnie.

Attendance: 4588