St. Mirren 1-0 Livingston: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

The game really turned in the second half, with a VAR check at 53 minutes involving St. Mirren’s Jonah Ayunga, but it didn’t lead to any major drama. St. Mirren made a smart double substitution at 67 minutes, bringing on Mikael Mandron for Dan N’Lundulu and Jayden Richardson for Roland Idowu, and it paid dividends just five minutes later when Mandron scored the only goal of the match, neatly assisted by Declan John. Livingston responded with their own changes, like Andrew Shinnie replacing Stevie May and Andy Winter coming on for Jeremy Bokila at 68 minutes, but they couldn’t find a breakthrough.

Things got a bit feisty when Livingston’s Danny Finlayson picked up a yellow card at 75 minutes, and they kept pushing with further subs – Robbie Muirhead for Tete Yengi at 77, Connor McLennan for Cristian Montano at 78, and Lewis Smith for Macaulay Tait at 83. St. Mirren matched that with Mark O’Hara replacing Conor McMenamin and Scott Tanser coming on for Declan John at 83 minutes to see out the win. Overall, that 72nd-minute strike was the defining moment in a match that lacked fireworks but had plenty of grit.

St. Mirren lined up in a solid 3-5-2 shape that gave them good balance, with wing-backs like Declan John pushing forward to create chances, as seen in his assist for Mikael Mandron’s goal. Partnerships in midfield held firm, allowing subs like Mandron and Jayden Richardson to make an impact after coming on at 67 minutes, while later changes saw Mark O’Hara and Scott Tanser slot in effectively to maintain control. It was a setup that suited their home advantage, focusing on steady build-up play without overcommitting.

Livingston set up in a 3-4-1-2 formation that aimed to be compact at the back while offering some threat through the middle, with players like Danny Finlayson in defence picking up a yellow card for his troubles. They relied on midfield energy, but substitutions like Andrew Shinnie for Stevie May and Andy Winter for Jeremy Bokila at 68 minutes tried to inject fresh legs, followed by Robbie Muirhead, Connor McLennan, and Lewis Smith coming on later. It was a shape that allowed them to stay in the game, though they struggled to convert possession into clear opportunities.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Declan John, who was instrumental for St. Mirren with his all-round display, setting up the winning goal with one assist and creating one big chance alongside three key passes that kept the pressure on Livingston. He didn’t get on the scoresheet himself with zero goals, but his vision and delivery stood out in a match where fine margins decided it. Having started the game before being replaced by Scott Tanser at 83 minutes, John was the spark that made the difference.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 1-0 vs Livingston (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Dundee United (H)
• Draw: 3-3 vs Aberdeen (A)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Dundee (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Celtic (H)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 0-1 vs St. Mirren (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Dundee (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Motherwell (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Aberdeen (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Rangers (A)

St. Mirren have just secured a 1-0 win over Livingston, which builds on their recent form of two straight victories after a draw and a couple of defeats, leaving them ninth in the table on 17 points and looking to climb away from the lower half. Their next fixture is against Kilmarnock on 27 December 2025 at 15:00, with the opposition sitting 11th on 12 points, so it’s a chance for St. Mirren to keep the momentum going and potentially create a buffer from the relegation spots in what could be a scrappy battle between two sides scrapping for mid-table security.

Livingston have just suffered a 1-0 defeat to St. Mirren, adding to their tough recent run of four losses and one draw in their last five games, which has them languishing in 12th place on nine points and staring at the drop zone. They face a daunting next match against Celtic on 27 December 2025 at 15:00, with the visitors second in the league on 32 points and in strong form, so Livingston will need to dig deep to avoid another setback and start picking up points to haul themselves out of trouble.

Coral brings you the most exciting betting promotions and the latest betting offers to enhance your experience.

For the best Premiership outright predictions, explore our Outright Betting guide.

Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.