St Mirren kept their unbeaten start to the season intact after Killian Phillips stepped up from the spot to score the only goal in a 1-0 win over St Johnstone at the SMiSA Stadium.
The midfielder has been in fine form early doors, having already bagged a double on the opening day during the away win at Falkirk. He added to that tally with a composed penalty finish that proved enough to see off the Perth side and keep the Buddies sitting pretty at the top of the early standings.
It was not the most free-flowing of games, but St Mirren showed the kind of defensive solidity and winning mentality that managers dream about when results are tight. Getting the goal and grinding it out is exactly what good teams do in the early weeks of a season when legs are still finding their rhythm and squads are settling.
Phillips is quickly becoming the man the Paisley side look to when they need someone to step forward and make something happen. Three goals in two games is the kind of return that gets fans talking, and there will be plenty of eyes on him as the campaign develops.
St Johnstone, meanwhile, will be frustrated at leaving Paisley with nothing to show for their efforts. They will feel there were moments in the game where they could have grabbed an equaliser, but St Mirren held firm and saw the match out professionally.
For St Mirren boss, the early signs are encouraging. Keeping clean sheets and finding a player in midfield who can contribute goals is a strong foundation to build on. The squad looks organised, focused, and hungry, which is everything you want to see when the season is just getting started.
The win will do wonders for confidence around the club heading into the next fixture, with St Mirren now firmly in the conversation among the early pace-setters in the division.