Kilmarnock captain and talisman Kevin Kyle underwent a cartilage operation on Thursday and is out of the Scotland squad for the forthcoming internationals.
The way Killie began it looked like they had made a team decision to cover for the loss of the big target man, and took an early lead. David Fernandez took Kyle's place, and it was his excellent hold up play and perfect weighted pass that sent Conor Sammon through on keeper Paul Gallacher. The Irishman took his hsot early and squeezed the ball home between the keepr's left hand and the far post with a great finish.
A fierce wind blew down the ground and it seemed to unsettle the St Mirren rearguard.
Kilmarnock dominated the first half, but failed to force Gallacher into any save worth a mention and were made to pay after the break as Gus Macpherson's side had the wind at their back.
They were level within three minutes of the restart as Killie failed to clear a cross ball in the breeze, and Stepehn McGinn volleyed smartly past Alan Combe from ten yards.
St Mirren went ahead in the 69th minute as Mcginn grabbed his second. The ball broke to the midfielder in space at the corner of the area, and his shot spun of the studs of Tim Clancy and swerved past the helpless Combe.
Killie tried to mount a spirited finale, but could not find the magic to get behind the Saints defence, and the visitors held out comfortably.
If Kilmarnock are to threaten the top half of the table, they must come up with a PLan B for the days like this when they are Kyle-less.