St Mirren defender Barry McLaughlin squandered a glorious first-half chance which could have given his side a lifeline in their fight with Dundee United to survive relegation to the First Division.

The Buddies knew realistically that this game was their last chance of pegging back United's four-point advantage.

However, they were also aware that defeat at Love Street would almost certainly condemn them to the First Division with United seven points clear with just four matches remaining.

Manager Tom Hendrie was lifted by his side's display at champions Celtic over a fortnight ago and he made just two changes with Sergei Baltacha, Jose Quitongo and Chris Kerr making way for Tommy Turner, Gary Bowman and Mark Yardley.

The visitors would settle for a share of the points, especially with influential duo Charlie Miller and James McCunnie ruled out through suspension and away on international duty respectively.

Alex Smith drafted Jim Hamilton and David Partridge into the side in the only changes from the side which lost out to Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final last week.

With plenty at stake the match started at a fast tempo, but with very little in the way of quality football with nerves perhaps taking hold.

In the opening exchanges United looked the more likely of the two teams to string a couple of meaningful passes together and in the ninth minute their first purposeful move almost brought them a goal.

Danny Griffin's free-kick into the box was met by Hamilton, who found the in-form Derek Lilley, but he pulled his effort wide of the post from a difficult angle.

But the desperate Buddies came charging back and almost produced the opener from nothing in the 17th minute.

Ricky Gillies played the ball over the top to the lightening fast on-loan Coventry City striker Stephen McPhee and he hit a first-time shot from long-range which Paul Gallacher comfortably saved.

The lively McPhee again got away from the United defence five minutes later as he controlled Scott MacKenzie's pass, but Jim Lauchlan made a timely interception for the visitors.

But United were let off the hook by the home side in the 26th minute when McLaughlin rose unmarked in the box to meet Bowman's corner, but he somehow managed to thunder his header past the post.

The ball was pin-balling from end to end and United almost conjured up the breakthrough in the 32nd minute.

Steven Thompson did well to whip the ball in from the left flank, but Hamilton headed just over the crossbar.

But United star Craig Easton should have done better five minutes before the break when he was presented with a fantastic chance.

Thompson cut in from the left and placed the ball across the face of goal - which Hamilton dummied - leaving Easton with a great chance to score, but he snatched at the chance and totally mis-kicked it.

Moments later Ludovic Roy had to get down well to his left to save David Hannah's long-range drive.