FOR perhaps the first time in the town’s long history, it was too sunny in Paisley yesterday.

And it was, as your mammy would say, that bright sun as well. It played a big part in this match.

Hibs had it in their eyes in the first-half, then it was St Mirren’s turn to play 45 minutes half-blind. However, while that was a factor, the afternoon turned an hour in the game,

Hibs goalkeeper Ofir Marciano, who otherwise had a splendid day, made a hash of a clearance on the edge of his box, the ball fell to St Mirren’s Kyle McAllister and for a second, perhaps longer, he had most of an empty net to aim at.

Instead, he turned away to get on his left foot, that allowed Marciano to recover, and what would have been a 2-0 lead became 1-1 because the visitors then ran up the park, Stevie Mallan’s fine pass put substitute Oli Shaw in on goal and he coolly finished under St Mirren keeper Vaclav Hladky.

“I’m disappointed not to take something from the game," said Oran Kearney who might wonder he should have left his job as a teacher for this.

"Until that pivotal moment when we should go 2-0 I was very happy with how we had played.

“They say when you are down the bad breaks go against you It is a big opportunity for Kyle and one everyone in the stadium can see. It is harder for him because he thinks someone is coming behind him and decides to shift it left.

“I spoke to him and I will not hang him out to dry. I thought he was probably as good a player as we had on the pitch today. To be fair to him he didn’t let his head go down after it and he came on stronger.

“It was a big moment in the game and we all know the fine margins which can make or break games. I would be confident to say if we go 2-0 up with half an hour to go that we could see it out."

St Mirren had been ahead since the 24th minute when a good cross from the left by Brad Lyons was meet by Simeon Jackson whose run was timed perfectly and he put the ball home from six yards.

But this is not their season.

Hibs moved ahead on 70 minutes. Mallan’s corner was met by Florian Kamberi’s powerful header, the ball was stopped on the line by Paul McGinn and Marciano but wasn’t cleared, Darren McGregor reacted first and put his shot in the roof of the net.

The three points were sealed with four minutes remaining.

David Gray’s superb diagonal pass found Shaw, he spotted the unmarked run by Mallan who made his old team suffer with a good finish.

St Mirren have a massive task ahead of them.

Mihai Popescu, Vaclav Hladk, Greg Tansey and Cameron Beadner are among the new players and, with the best will in the world, none have a fantastic pedigree – although it’s wrong to judge them so soon.

Change brings a freshness, but it also brings the unknown as well," admitted Kearney. "I do feel we have made good progress but we have got to get better and when we get opportunities we are more cynical.

“I think it is an opportunity missed. When you are playing any game at this level the hardest thing to do is go ahead. When you manage to do that, I think it is so important to be that little bit cynical, call it what you want, to see the game out and get the three points over the line.

“Sadly, that is the thing that we haven’t been able to do today.

“Although we have been here all season, a lot of the players now don’t have the scars of the past you, so expect that response. You expect them to come up strong again.

“Even at 2-1 we have had two really good opportunities and their goalkeeper has made some really good saves.”