St Mirren have all but lost their fight for survival in their first season back in the Scottish Premier League.

Despite taking all three points from Aberdeen, nearest rivals Dundee United managed to fight back to win 3-2 against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

That means the Buddies need more than 14 goals against Motherwell next week to have a chance of avoiding the drop.

St Mirren took eight years to regain their top-flight status but a flurry of good results proved to be too little too late for Tom Hendrie's side.

Darren Young gave Aberdeen the lead early in the first half but an explosive three-minute spell saw both Scott Walker and Steven McGarry net for St Mirren just before the break.

The Paisley side looked on course to force Dundee United to wait until the last day of the season to decide who would survive, but goals from Charlie Miller, Craig Easton and Derek Lilley in Perth virtually secured their future.

Right from the first whistle this game was frantic and scrappy with both sides committing fouls in the opening minutes. It was from one of these challenges that St Mirren got their first chance of the game.

With four minutes on the clock, skipper Tommy Turner's free-kick into the area picked out Mark Yardley. The big striker nodded down to Steven McGarry but his header was easily held by Dons goalkeeper Ryan Esson.

Yardley has only recently started to make an impact in front of goal with two of his four league goals coming from St Mirren's previous two encounters.

He tried to add to that tally two minutes later but he nodded just wide of the post.

Despite enjoying most of the possession, St Mirren found themselves behind after 14 minutes. It was the first time goalkeeper Ludovic Roy had been tested in the game but he could not prevent Darren Young opening the scoring.

A great ball from Darren Mackie released Young, who went on a surging run before firing the opener past Roy from six yards out.

The Dons thought they had extended their lead after 20 minutes when Mackie set up Derek Young, but his strike was ruled out for offside.

Even so, Aberdeen had been visibly lifted by their goal and now held most of the possession.

Darren Young could have grabbed his second goal of the game after 26 minutes when he unleashed a shot from 25 yards but the effort flew well over the crossbar.

A couple of minutes later, Arild Stavrum was denied by Jamie McGowan, who cleared the danger at the far post.

A sickening clash of heads between Graham Fenton and Thomas Solberg resulted in the St Mirren player being replaced by Iain Nicolson on 38 minutes after he failed to reappear after treatment.

A flurry of activity in front of the Aberdeen goal eventually saw St Mirren grab the leveller. First Gary Bowman's shot deflected off Derek Whyte and then McGarry nodded wide.

But three minutes before the break, defender Scott Walker fired the equaliser past Esson after Yardley had nodded the ball into his path.

And right on the half-time whistle St Mirren surged into the lead. Yardley set up McPhee, whose shot was blocked by Esson, but McGarry pounced to ram home the rebound.

Although stunned at losing two goals in such quick succession, Aberdeen had the chance to draw level five minutes after the restart but Mackie's drive was cleared by McGowan.

Two minutes later Darren Young's short free-kick could have set up Stavrum just outside the 18-yard box but the Norwegian pulled the shot wide.

St Mirren's first real chance of the second half came after 55 minutes when Paul Rudden flighted a cross in to Yardley only for the big striker to nod into the goalkeeper's hands.

On-loan Coventry striker McPhee has yet to score his first goal for St Mirren but he came close after 57 minutes. He took the ball round Whyte before eventually powering a shot at goal but Esson managed to block.

Four minutes later McGarry's attempt on goal resulted in a corner kick after the ball deflected off Whyte.

The young striker took the corner and Gary Bowman was unlucky to see his connecting header go just over the crossbar.

Still Aberdeen pushed for the leveller and they were almost rewarded after 75 minutes. Mackie squared the ball into the path of Cato Guntveit only for the Dons player to blast the shot over the crossbar.

Maikel Renfurm replaced McGarry with 12 minutes to go and he looked menacing in front of the Aberdeen goal but the Dutchman struggled to create a clear chance until the 84th minute when he sent a great opportunity over the crossbar.

But the result at McDiarmid Park ultimately decided St Mirren's future.