Hibernian had two goals in the first five minutes to thank for keeping their bid for a UEFA Cup place going against St Mirren.

Colin Nish chipped in the opener after a dreadful mistake from Buddies goalkeeper Chris Smith, and Merouane Zemmama drove in a second barely 90 seconds later.

With Steven Fletcher's 12th-minute header also ruled out for offside it looked like being a comfortable afternoon for the Easter Road outfit.

But the visitors bossed the match thereafter and Andrew McNeil had to make vital saves from Will Haining and Stewart Kean late on to make sure of the three points.

The win for Hibernian carries them above Dundee United into fourth place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, and they did not have long to wait to get off the mark.

Will Haining's back-pass should not have caused Smith any difficulties, but with Fletcher trying his best to close him down the Buddies goalkeeper fluffed his clearance straight to Nish.

The former Kilmarnock striker made him pay as he netted his fourth goal since joining the Easter Road side in January with a sublime left-footed chip over the retreating Smith from 25 yards.

If St Mirren were stunned by that blow, they were floored moments later as they slipped further behind to a sensational strike from Zemmama.

The Moroccan seized on a pass from Ian Murray 30 yards from goal and wasted no time in spearing a magnificent dipping drive over Smith.

Fletcher had the ball in the net but was adjudged to have strayed into an offside position to head in Thierry Gathuessi's cross.

Smith then raced from his line to save bravely from Nish when the striker was sent through on goal by Zemmama's threaded pass as Hibs looked dangerous every time they sprang an attack.

Having been so far ahead of their visitors in the opening period, Hibs then appeared to take their foot of the pedal as the half went on.

St Mirren enjoyed more and more of the possession as the home outfit were guilty of poor distribution, particularly from defence.

And with 10 minutes to go to the interval, the Love Street side should really have pulled one back.

David Barron's right-wing cross found Craig Dargo unmarked six yards out but the former Inverness marksman nodded wide.

St Mirren started the second period as they had ended the first, enjoying the bulk of possession as Hibs struggled to recapture the form which lit up the opening spell in the half.

Hibs were struggling to get on the ball at all as St Mirren's five-man midfield outnumbered their Easter Road opponents in the centre of the pitch.

However, in the 58th minute, the hosts came within a whisker of getting the third goal they were seeking to put the outcome of the match beyond doubt.

Zemmama's corner was whipped in to the near post and visiting wing-back Alan Reid, a former Hibs player, headed against his own crossbar in attempting a clearance.

Reid then laid on a chance at the other end as his cross found Barron in space but McNeil brilliantly tipped his volley over.

Hibs were struck a major blow on the hour mark when stand-in skipper Chris Hogg limped off with a knee injury to be replaced by Ross Chisholm in a change which saw Ian Murray retreat into a nervy-looking defence.

The Edinburgh outfit repeatedly had McNeil to thank for keeping them out as the youngster made three fantastic blocks from Will Haining late on.

He somehow got a hand on the defender's point-blank header to keep it out on the line, and then he stretched to claw the former Oldham man's volley away from his top corner.

Try as they might the Paisley men could not find the goals their second-half display deserved and Hibs had McNeil to thank as he blocked Kean's header and Haining's close-range shot in injury-time.

Teams:

Hibernian McNeil, Gathuessi, Hogg (Chisholm 61), Canning, Zarabi, Zemmama, Murray, Rankin, Shiels (Stevenson 76), Fletcher, Nish (Donaldson 83).

Subs Not Used: Ma-Kalambay, Kerr, Benjelloun, Morais.

Booked: Shiels, Zemmama, Zarabi.

Goals: Nish 4, Zemmama 5.

St Mirren Smith, Reid (Kean 80), Haining, Potter, Maxwell, Murray (Brittain 50), Dorman, Brady, Barron, Mehmet,Dargo (Hamilton 76).

Subs Not Used: Mathers, Corcoran, Docherty, McGinn.

Booked: Murray.

Ref: S Finnie (Scotland).