A freak goal by Ian Maxwell and a strike by Gary Mason before the interval were enough to give St Mirren victory over Hibernian in their Clydesdale Bank Premier League meeting at rain-soaked Love Street.

After just five minutes, the Saints left-back attempted a cross from wide on the left but the ball evaded Hibs keeper Yves Ma-Kalambay before going in off the far post.

Two minutes before the interval, Hibs skipper Rob Jones was short with a pass back which allowed Stewart Kean in to set up Mason to slam home from close range.

An 88th minute goal from Hibs striker Mickael Antoine-Curier provided a last few nervy moments for the home side but their win was well-deserved on a day that managerless Hibs showed why they have failed to win in their last eight games.

A minute's applause for Motherwell skipper Phil O'Donnell, who died last week after collapsing during the SPL game with Dundee United at Fir Park, preceded a rather subdued opening few moments from which Hibs were slower to recover.

The early lethargy was shattered in the fifth minute when the home side took the lead albeit with a freak goal by Maxwell, his first of the season.

Saints midfielder Garry Brady failed to find space down the left flank, turned and knocked the ball back to the St Mirren left-back who aimed a curling cross deep in to the Hibs penalty area.

But to the surprise of most people inside Love Street, including probably Maxwell, the ball soared over Easter Road keeper Ma-Kalambay and in off the far post.

Moments later, as heavy rain continued to pound Paisley, Saints defender Will Haining was inches away from getting on the end of a Brady free-kick just six yards out, the ball speeding past for a goal kick.

The game's second goal, however, looked no closer to arriving as the match edged towards the interval, notwithstanding Brady's snap-shot from 30 yards just after the half-hour mark which went less than a yard over the bar.

Five minutes later, Ma-Kalambay had an easier task of saving Maxwell's next effort, an unconvincing header from an Alex Burke corner.

But with two minutes of the first half left, St Mirren doubled their lead after a mistake by Jones led, ultimately, to Mason driving in from close range.

Jones' back-pass left Ma-Kalambay rushing out to block Stewart Kean, the ball breaking to the Saints striker who, with the Hibs defence in disarray, calmly laid it off to the former Dunfermline midfielder to hammer home from around 10 yards.

The visitors, who were booed off by their fans at the interval, made one change at the break, striker Clayton Donaldson being replaced by Damon Gray.

However, that little bit of tinkering did little initially to inspire the Easter Road men who, although their work rate increased, provided little evidence to suggest that they could rescue the game.

As St Mirren concentrated on defending their lead, Beuzelin and Ross Chisholm both had weak efforts in quick succession for Hibs.

It was mundane fare and Paisley striker Billy Mehmet had an equally weak effort from distance as St Mirren gradually began to make inroads towards the Hibs goal.

As the minutes slipped away, so, it appeared, did the belief among the Hibs players with some of their fans turning on chairman and chief executive Rod Petrie sitting in the Love Street directors' box.

In the 76th minute, Mason's cross-cum-shot from wide on the left was missed by Mehmet but the ball slid just inches past the far post, with Ma-Kalambay rooted to the spot.

In the 88th minute Antoine-Curier grabbed a goal back for Hibs when he took a Ross Chisholm long ball, rounded Chris Smith and knocked the ball in with his heel.

But it was too little, too late for the visitors who deserved no more than to leave Paisley pointless.

Teams:

St Mirren Smith, van Zanten, Haining, Potter, Maxwell, Barron, Mason, Brady (McGinn 66), Burke (Miranda 73),Mehmet (Dargo 89), Kean.

Subs Not Used: Howard, Dorman, Corcoran, McCay.

Goals: Maxwell 4, Mason 43.

Hibernian Ma-Kalambay, Gathuessi (McCormack 67), Jones, Hogg, Stevenson, Chisholm, Beuzelin, Kerr (Morais 71), O'Brien,Donaldson (Gray 46), Antoine-Curier.

Subs Not Used: McNeil, Noubissie, Lynch, Shiels.

Goals: Antoine-Curier 89.

Att: 4,212

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).

Teams:

St Mirren Smith, van Zanten, Haining, Potter, Maxwell, Barron, Mason, Brady (McGinn 66), Burke (Miranda 73),Mehmet (Dargo 89), Kean.

Subs Not Used: Howard, Dorman, Corcoran, McCay.

Goals: Maxwell 4, Mason 43.

Hibernian Ma-Kalambay, Gathuessi (McCormack 67), Jones, Hogg, Stevenson, Chisholm, Beuzelin, Kerr (Morais 71), O'Brien,Donaldson (Gray 46), Antoine-Curier.

Subs Not Used: McNeil, Noubissie, Lynch, Shiels.

Goals: Antoine-Curier 89.

Att: 4,212

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).