Craig Dargo finally made his competitive debut for St Mirren but the striker had little chance to shine in an uneventful Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash.

Dargo handed Saints boss Gus MacPherson an early Christmas present with his return to fitness after a knee injury followed his summer move from Inverness.

But there was nothing else to celebrate at Love Street as two sides in the bottom three of the table struggled to carve out any meaningful chances. Killie have now gone seven games without victory, one more than St Mirren, and both teams looked seriously short of confidence in the final third.

But MacPherson may just have been relieved to keep a clean sheet after his side shipped eight goals in their previous two home games against Falkirk and Dundee United.

Chris Smith ensured the shutout with the only difficult save of the game when he parried Colin Nish's header with 15 minutes left.

MacPherson also handed full-back David Barron a home debut and brought in Alex Burke and Garry Brady, while Kilmarnock welcomed back Simon Ford from injury and recalled winger Willie Gibson.

An opening 10 minutes devoid of goalmouth action set the tone and Nish was off target with the first chance as he headed well wide from Gibson's cross.

Mark Corcoran's corner found Ian Maxwell at the other end but the St Mirren defender mishit his attempted shot from 12 yards.

Jamie Hamill had escaped a booking for a late sliding tackle on Corcoran and Mike Tumilty waved play on when the Kilmarnock full-back again brought down the same player.

Nish got his head to another Gibson cross but he had his back to goal and the ball spun well over.

The match was almost 40 minutes old before either keeper had a save to make and Smith comfortably held David Fernandez's low shot on the turn. Barron was replaced by Alan Reid before the second half started in similarly uneventful fashion, and Dargo's debut ended in the 53rd minute when he was replaced by Miranda.

Burke got the home team's first effort on target but Alan Combe was alive to his attempted chip. Hamill then gave Smith something to do but a weak 30-yard effort posed no threat to the Buddies keeper.

MacPherson brought on Stewart Kean for Corcoran in the 66th minute and the striker soon set up a shooting chance for Gary Mason, but his 20-yard strike was well wide.

Miranda did well to head clear Garry Hay's cross and he was on target with a header at the other end, but again Combe saved easily.

Nish provided the only nervous moment when he headed Gibson's cross towards the bottom corner but Smith dived to turn it round the post.

Hay was booked for a late tackle on Kean as both sides threatened to pick up the pace.

Saints produced their best moment as the game entered the final 10 minutes when Billy Mehmet met Miranda's cross on the volley from 16 yards but Combe was well placed to catch.

But there was no thrilling finale and the Killie keeper comfortably saved Andy Millen's 30-yard effort as an instantly forgettable game came to a close.

Teams:

St Mirren Smith, van Zanten, Maxwell, Millen,Barron (Reid 46), Burke, Mason, Brady, Corcoran (Kean 66), Mehmet, Dargo (Miranda 53).

Subs Not Used: Howard, Potter, Molloy, McGinn.

Kilmarnock Combe, Fowler, Taouil, Ford, Hay, Invincibile, O'Leary, Hamill, Gibson (Jarvis 83), Nish, Fernandez (Wales 61).

Subs Not Used: Harpur, Johnston, Koudou, Bryson, Clancy.

Booked: Hay, Invincibile.

Att: 4,216

Ref: M Tumilty (Scotland).