ST MIRREN failed to capitalise on a Scott Agnew stunner as Dumbarton ruined Ian Murray’s reunion with the Sons on Saturday.

The visitors came back to haunt their former gaffer as they put lacklustre Saints to the sword with a thoroughly professional display in Paisley.

Murray, who took the reins at St Mirren in the summer, could have little complaints with the scoreline as Garry Fleming’s late penalty sealed the victory for Sons.

Agnew had briefly restored parity with an early goal of the season contender following Willie Gibson’s opener but Fleming was composed enough to convert from the spot.

St Mirren had listed three changes from the side that had performed admirably at Ibrox the previous Friday. In came Lewis Morgan, Alan Gow and starting debutant Calum Gallagher, replacing Steven Thompson, Cameron Howieson and Stephen Mallan.

Despite the bookies quoting the Buddies as heavy odds-on favourites before kick-off, it was the visitors from West Dunbartonshire that started the better.

Kitted out in yellow, Dumbarton’s first-half play was a lot easier on the eye than their changed strip. Gibson’s runs down the wing were a constant thorn in Jason Naismith’s side throughout. Overall Sons just appeared a little more organised than Saints, and despite not forcing keeper Mark Ridgers into a save of note, they looked good for their half-time lead.

Dumbarton had the better of the opening exchanges and Scott Taggart could have done better than heading over from a corner.

St Mirren responded with a well-rehearsed set piece routine when an unmarked Sean Kelly really should have forced the keeper in a save rather than tamely heading at an untroubled Mark Brown.

Naismith was next to try his luck for Saints — but all of St Mirren’s efforts were undone on 26 minutes.

Agnew needlessly fouled Kevin Cawley 25 yards from goal allowing Gibson a free strike from a dangerous position. The former Stranraer man’s effort cannoned off of the wall, completely changing the direction and leaving Ridgers no chance and wrong-footed as the ball trundled beyond him to open the scoring.

Saints could have no complaints about the scoreline, as for all their possession they never really created any clear-cut opportunities.

Gallagher showed some invention to attempt an overhead kick following some neat work from Paul McMullan but the side’s display was met with some discontent on the blow of John Beaton’s half-time whistle.

Half-time: St Mirren 0-1 Dumbarton. The second half started much the same as the first with Dumbarton proving to be the sharper of the two outfits.

Fleming had the half’s first opportunity following a slick Sons passing move which started with keeper Mark Brown involving around 10 passes before Fleming struck just inches wide from the edge of the box.

St Mirren’s afternoon went from bad to worse when Naismith was stretchered off on the hour mark following an innocuous coming together with Gibson. The Saints full back appeared to get his studs caught in the turf as he looked to beat his marker, and the stadium fell into a nervous silence as the youngster writhed in pain. An extended break in play ensued before the stand-in captain was eventually carried from the field to be replaced by 18-year-old Barry Cuddihy.

Much to the anger of the Dumbarton bench Saints had been awarded a free-kick following the Naismith incident.

And their anger was furthered moments later as the Buddies levelled the scores from the resulting set piece. The original effort was cleared before McMullan shaped for goal. His strike was blocked by Darren Barr but only as far as Agnew who unleashed an unstoppable volley into the top corner, leaving Brown no chance and the Dumbarton fans stunned. They may be used to seeing Agnew’s wonderstrikes, but it must have been hard for the Sons fans to swallow seeing their former favourite score against them.

The strike gave the whole stadium a lift and for a period there seemed to be only one winner — St Mirren.

Lewis Morgan was a shining light in the second half as he tore down the left wing with every St Mirren attack. Scott Taggart appeared unable to cope with the tricky youngster and he looks to be one watch following a number of impressive performances since Murray came in.

Gallagher spurned a glorious opportunity to put St Mirren ahead following Morgan’s play down the wing, but the new striker couldn’t convert his header from four yards out.

That miss would eventually come back to haunt St Mirren in the 82nd minutes.

Substitute Cuddihy tangled with Cawley inside the area leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Up stepped Fleming to give Ridgers no chance and put Dumbarton ahead.

The introduction of Stevie Mallan late on did little to create any opportunities as the Saints fell to their second defeat of the season.

St Mirren: Ridgers 6, Naismith 6 (Cuddihy 62, 2), Conlan 6 (Mallan 85, 2), Baird 6, Kelly 6, Carswell 7, McMullan 6, Morgan 7, Agnew 7, Gow 6 (Thompson 67, 5), Gallagher 6.

Subs not used: Langfield, Goodwin, McLear and Howieson.

Booked: McMullan (21) Dumbarton: Brown, Taggart, Docherty, Buchanan, Barr, Routledge, Gallagher, Cawley (Waters 90), Fleming, Gibson (Graham 88), Craig (Kirkpatrick 71).

Subs not used: Ewings, Miller, Smith and McCallum.

Referee: John Beaton.

Att: 3806.