ST MIRREN’S afternoon began with silverware and ended with the most golden gifts of a winning goal.

It was very much a tale of two goalkeepers as the Paisley outfit returned to Scotland’s top flight; Craig Samson saving Dundee striker Sofien Moussa’s second-half penalty, while Jack Hamilton’s cringe-worthy dilly-dallying resulted in Danny Mullen’s late winner.

St Mirren were actually so eager to kick-start their Premiership comeback, they began five minutes early.

With the razzmatazz of the Ladbrokes Championship trophy, unfurling of the league flag, and fireworks that greeted the special guests over, referee Alan Muir elected to kick-off at 2.55pm rather than the advertised 3pm.

And what an early start it was.

Even before St Mirren scored in the ninth minute, Dundee’s Jean Mendy should have done better than nod straight at Craig Samson, then Moussa tugged wide when well-placed.

When Paul McGinn then swung in a delightful cross from the right, however, Mullen headed high into the net for St Mirren’s first top-flight goal for three years.

The lead lasted three minutes. And if the pre-match festivities weren’t enough, a man called Elton then scored the equaliser. Ngwatala, to be precise, seizing on a loose ball at the edge of the penalty area to thud a low, left-foot shot into the net off the post.

The action didn’t peter out either, with St Mirren the better of the chances in the first half, whereas Dundee very much did in the second during a helter-skelter of an encounter.

Cammy Smith saw a goal disallowed after a blatant push, then Matty Willock headed over at the back post for Saints. Smith and Paul McGinn also went close.

The best opportunity came just on the half-time whistle though, when Smith swivelled at the edge of the area and Hamilton was fortunate the ball squirmed off the underside of his diving body and wide rather than in.

Mendy twice should have scored at the start of the second period for Dundee. He missed his kick with the goal gaping, then, in the next attack, couldn’t stretch far enough for Jesse Curran’s deliciously-inviting volleyed cross.

As the hour mark approached, horrendous confusion between Samson and Cole Kpekawa allowed Mendy to burst through, with the goalkeeper hauling the forward to the ground. Muir awarded a penalty, but gave only a yellow card to Samson – who then redeemed himself by pushing away Moussa’s side-footed spot-kick.

“There’s no genuine attempt to get the ball,” insisted Dundee manager Neil McCann. “The ball’s beyond him before the dive, he’s cleaned out the player and stays on the field and makes a good stop.”

Samson then produced another fabulous save minutes later, blocking Mendy’s blasted shot from point-blank range.

There was still time for a winner that would have left Dundee’s goalkeeper with the most sleepless of Saturday nights.

With seven minutes remaining, Hamilton dallied on a clearance while being closed down by Ryan Flynn. The St Mirren substitute robbed the Dundee goalkeeper of the ball and crossed for Mullen to tap in his and St Mirren’s second.

“We were fortunate in how we got the winner and I feel for their keeper,” admitted St Mirren manager Alan Stubbs. “But I’m delighted we capitalised.”

“He’s apologised to the boys,” said McCann of Hamilton.

“I’m not going to go through him. He’s made a mistake and he knows it. I don’t need to state the obvious.”