Pressure builds on David Gray as St Mirren beat Hibernian at Easter Road

Pressure continues to build on Hibernian manager David Gray following a Premiership defeat to St Mirren at Easter Road.

The Paisley side ran out 2-1 winners after late VAR drama in the capital on Saturday.

Conor McMenamin scored two first-half to earn all three points for the Buddies that moves them into the top-half of the table with Nicky Cadden getting one back from the spot.

The hosts had missed an earlier penalty by Martin Boyle, then, just to add to the heartache, they had a goal chopped off in injury-time just as they thought they had salvaged a point.

Hibs remain anchored to the bottom of the league as they suffer their sixth defeat in their opening 12 games of the season.

They are one point behind city-rivals Hearts who take on Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.

Australia forward Boyle missed from the spot for the home side on the hour mark as they attempted to muster a fight-back.

And the referee pointed to the spot again in injury-time and this time Cadden stepped up to put it past Ellery Balcombe give them a late lifeline.

Cadden then had the ball in the net in the fifth minute of added time as the home side thought they had pulled off a miraculous comeback.

But the referee chopped the goal off after a VAR check and Stephen Robinson’s men held on to their lead for all three points.

There were two enforced changes to the Hibs team that started the 1-1 draw with Dundee United last Sunday as the injured Lewis Miller and suspended Mykola Kuharevich were replaced by Chris Cadden and Elie Youan.

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson made one change to the team that started the 0-0 draw at home to Ross County as McMenamin replaced James Scott in attack.

It was McMenamin who gave the visitors the lead in the first notable attack of the match in the 16th minute when he touched home Scott Tanser’s low delivery from the left inside the six-yard box.

Hibs almost equalised in the 28th minute when Youan turned in the box and fired against the post from 12 yards.

But St Mirren doubled their lead in the 31st minute when McMenamin capitalised on some calamitous Hibs defending.

Warren O’Hora was loose with his touch after bringing down a high ball on the half-way line seemingly under no pressure but the Buddies attacker nicked it off him and darted clear before firing high into the net off the legs of goalkeeper Josef Bursik, who appeared to dive away from the shot.

Gray, clearly alarmed by what he had seen in the first half, made a triple substitution for the start of the second period as O’Hora, Kwon and Nectar Triantis were replaced by Rocky Bushiri, Dylan Levitt and Cadden.

There was a minimal improvement from the hosts but Saints almost netted again on the hour when Richard Taylor headed a Tanser corner against the bar and Alex Gogic was unable to force in the rebound.

Hibs had a golden chance to get back in the game a minute later when they were awarded a penalty after Boyle was fouled by Marcus Fraser but, after a lengthy VAR check, the Australia winger saw his tame spot-kick easily saved by Balcombe, who dived down to his right.

St Mirren looked to be cruising towards victory as the match moved into stoppage time but Hibs got one back through a Cadden penalty following a handball from Gogic.

The home side thought they had pulled off a stunning comeback moments later when Cadden lashed home once more but the celebrations were cut short after a VAR check spotted the ball had struck his offside team-mate Gayle on the way in.