An error by Hibernian goalkeeper Nick Colgan allowed St Mirren substitute Steven McGarry to score an unexpected injury-time equaliser.

An early long-range goal by John O'Neil looked to have given Alex McLeish's team all three points in a largely forgettable encounter.

But when Colgan came off his line to collect a through ball he failed to do so and the onrushing McGarry gleefully smashed the ball into the empty net.

It was no more than the hard-working home side had deserved but few of the 5,000 or so spectators really thought that equaliser was going to come.

Saints had been constantly thwarted for all their busy play and this was a largely forgettable encounter from the purist's point of view.

Hibs too were limited to just a handful of chances despite their superior possession play.

O'Neil opened the scoring in the seventh minute, firing a low shot from outside the area past Derek Scrimgour after St Mirren had cleared a corner but quickly surrendered possession again.

David Zitelli fired another long-ranger -a free kick this time - that Scrimgour parried and the goalkeeper had to do the same from Russell Latapy when the Trinidad international had stolen in at the far post.

O'Neil also had another pot-shot that went over as the away side, who remain in second place, totted up a superior chance tally before the break.

St Mirren had opted for a diminutive strike force in Graham Fenton and Tom Brown and they too were not shy of having a go. Both fired over with Brown's effort, that had the beating of Colgan, was the closest.

At the back, Saints' three man defence anticipated most of the creative intentions of the Hibernian midfield. Interceptions followed but once possession had been won the back line looked unaware of what to do with it.

That was more or less the story of the second half too as Hibs created some early chances without extending their lead.

Zitelli forced Scrimgour into a parry with a free-kick effort from long range as the Frenchman sought to show that whatever Sauzee could do he could match.

Then Zitelli showed why he has been taken to the hearts of the green half of Edinburgh with a little bit of skill, flicking a shot over his shoulder with his back to goal. It bounced just wide.

That would have been a quality finish but no so Paatelainen's next contribution, which saw him block the goalkeeper's attempted punt downfield. Fortunately for Scrimgour, that too ended up behind the goal rather than in it.

But Saints found themselves still a single goal behind and Fenton forced Colgan into a save, a block at his near post.

Gary Bowman wasted a good opportunity by firing off the legs of a defender after he had waited the ball to fall out of the air to his far post position and Ricky Gillies saw shots blocked too, including an injury time effort that Colgan somehow diverted away.

It looked as though the home side was destined to reap no reward for their journeyman endeavours but then McGarry nipped in.

The result means Hibs are still stuttering but their berth in second place is safe for a while still.