Manager Stephen Robinson praised his St Mirren players for sealing top-six football for a second successive season and urged them to now aim for Europe.

The Paisley side lost 2-1 at home to Hearts, who forged into a two-goal lead thanks to Jorge Grant’s penalty and a Mikael Mandron own goal.

Toyosi Olusanya’s strike wasn’t enough to prevent St Mirren slipping to defeat but Hibernian’s failure to win against St Johnstone confirmed a top-half finish for the Buddies.

Robinson said: “The top six is achieved over 33 games and you get your rewards. We are five points clear in fifth place and this group thoroughly deserves that.

“It’s the first time the club has achieved successive top-six finishes in 39 years. People’s expectations have risen massively and that’s down to the players.

“With the resources we have, we shouldn’t be in the top six. We are punching way above our weight in terms of the clubs we are competing with.

“Credit to the staff who work tirelessly to drag every bit of energy and quality out of the squad. And to the board who have backed us for the last two years and tried to push the club forward.

“Now our aim is can we get into Europe? It’s 37 years since we managed that but now we can breathe a bit, relax and play our football.”

Opposite number Steven Naismith was equally satisfied as Hearts ground out their 10th away victory of the season to strengthen their hold on third place.

He explained: “I said that to the squad after the game. I think this is probably the stereotypical game Hearts have been questioned in over the years.

“Can you deal with the fight? Add to that St Mirren are going for the top six so when we take the lead, we know they were going to go gung-ho.

“They did and brought more attacking players on and we had to deal with it – and I think we did.

“We did it without three of our most consistent players this season and we did it in terrible conditions that both teams had to play in. So for me it’s a fantastic win.”

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson praised his players for their perseverance after coming from behind to defeat Aberdeen 2-1 at home in dramatic fashion.

Neil Warnock’s side had led from Connor Barron’s first-minute strike and looked on course for a first league victory for two months.

But Mark O’Hara converted a penalty after Toyosi Olusanya was fouled in the sixth minute of time added on before Olusanya claimed the winner a minutes later.

Robinson admitted he would have preferred to have seen the goals arrive sooner but felt his team were well worthy of the final outcome.

He said: “We had 70 per cent possession and 14 shots – we deserved to win.

“It took a lot longer than we wanted to get the goals but it showed the character and quality of the squad with the subs we made.

“Conor McMenamin was outstanding after training only three days, Toyosi comes on and scores the winner, it shows the strength in depth.

“It was everything we deserved. We dominated the game. They scored from a wonder goal but outwith that they were not a threat and looked a team under pressure.

“We tried to get the ball down and when we did that we controlled the game. It didn’t surprise me. It would have been an injustice otherwise if we hadn’t scored.

“We got the penalty we deserved, arguably we could have had two more that were very close decisions. The players showed a great attitude.”

Warnock, in contrast, was devastated at not seeing the game out as Aberdeen’s winless streak in the league was extended to 10 games.

The veteran manager said: “It’s difficult to talk as I’m absolutely distraught. The lads have given me everything and I’m so disappointed to lose in the way we did.

“You can’t go away from today and not be disappointed. We were on our knees and that’s how they should feel.

“They deserved to win that game. I don’t think they [St Mirren] knew how to break us down, not a clue. So it makes it doubly disappointing.

“The penalty knocked the players’ confidence and it was disappointing to concede again after all that effort. I thought that was the best we defended since I had been here.”

Mark O’Hara and Toyosi Olusanya scored in stoppage time to earn St Mirren a 2-1 home win and deny Neil Warnock his first league victory as interim Aberdeen manager.

Connor Barron’s goal after just 62 seconds looked set to earn the Dons a first league win for two months.

But substitute Olusanya won a penalty after a long VAR delay that was converted by O’Hara before just moments later the striker volleyed in what proved to be the winner to improve Saints’ top-six chances.

St Mirren were unchanged from the team that started their midweek draw away to Ross County, with Conor McMenamin fit enough for a place on the bench.

Aberdeen, in turn, made four changes after losing to St Johnstone.

In came Nicky Devlin, Junior Hoilett, Killian Phillips and Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes, with Jack Milne, Jonny Hayes, Jamie McGrath and Leighton Clarkson all dropping out.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino took a seat in the main stand after attending the IFAB AGM at Loch Lomond earlier in the day.

He was treated to a stunning goal after just 62 seconds as Aberdeen took an early lead.

Duk made a great run down the right wing before putting in a cross that was knocked out by Alex Gogic but only as far as Barron, who lashed a shot high in the net from 25 yards.

St Mirren rallied but a Greg Kiltie header from Scott Tanser’s cross was easily saved by Kelle Roos.

The home side should have drawn level when Zach Hemming’s deep free-kick was pushed on to the post by opposite number Roos after being helped on by Tanser.

The ball ran across the face of the goal but Lewis Jamieson couldn’t finish from close range. VAR checked for a penalty but it wasn’t given.

The forward tried a more spectacular attempt in Saints’ next attack only for his volley to clip the bar and go over despite his protests that Roos had saved it.

Aberdeen replied with a Barron header from a corner that went just wide before Mikael Mandron was similarly off target at the other end. Again VAR checked for a penalty for a foul on Mandron but once more it wasn’t given.

The visitors had been kept quiet for much of the first half but had a chance early in the second, Hoilett crossing for Bojan Miovski who headed over.

St Mirren had a chance to equalise but Elvis Bwomono sliced his shot wide at the back post while, in a rare Aberdeen attack, Phillips volleyed high into the stand.

Aberdeen looked like holding out for the win but Nicky Devlin tripped Olusanya and, after a three-minute delay, VAR decided it had been inside rather than outside the box.

O’Hara finished from the spot but Saints weren’t done there as McMenamin crossed from the right and Jonah Ayunga headed it back across for Olusanya to volley past Roos.

Toyosi Olusanya’s last-gasp strike for St Mirren denied Ross County three points that would have moved them out of the relegation play-off place in the cinch Premiership.

Jordan White had given the hosts a first-half lead in Dingwall, making the most of an Alex Gogic mistake to put the Staggies ahead in the 12th minute.

St Mirren fought valiantly for an equaliser but they had to be patient, with Olusanya’s goal eventually coming in the 90th minute.

There was just one change between the two starting XIs – Eli King coming into Ross County’s line-up in place of Teddy Jenks.

The visitors had not settled when a mistake at the back gifted Ross County the opening goal in the 12th minute.

Gogic attempted to pass the ball back to his goalkeeper, only for White to nip in ahead of Zach Hemming and round the Buddies goalkeeper before rolling the ball into an empty net for his sixth goal of the season in all competitions.

County had to be on their guard to prevent a quick St Mirren response, with keeper George Wickens diving to his right to keep out Caolan Boyd-Munce’s deflected strike.

It was a similar story at the start of the second half, with Lewis Jamieson this time cutting inside from the right flank and forcing an acrobatic stop from Wickens.

St Mirren continued to put the pressure on their hosts and as the clock ticked down, Stephen Robinson threw on some fresh legs to give the visitors fresh impetus going forward.

It worked as Keanu Baccus’ header sent Olusanya goal-side of Loick Ayina to finish into the bottom corner in the last minute.

Ross County remain 11th, while St Mirren move to within a point of fourth-placed Kilmarnock.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson praised his players for making their dominance count as goals from Mikael Mandron and Toyosi Olusanya earned them a 2-0 home win over Dundee.

Robinson was eager to see his side build on their weekend win over Hibernian and they were the superior side throughout before Mandron broke the deadlock midway through the second half.

Olusanya’s strike in injury time, after defender James Bolton had been sent off, settled matters to lift Saints nine points clear of their vanquished opponents.

Robinson said: “I thought it was very important in the last two games to get maximum points which we’ve done.

“We created a lot more chances and it probably should have been more comfortable than it was.

“Dundee were stubborn but we defended well, too. We controlled the game and made lots of good chances. Trevor Carson made two great saves, one in the first half and one in the second.

“It was important to follow up Saturday’s result with another good one. So we’re delighted to be able to do that.

“Dundee are a good side. If you’re not going to finish teams off you run that risk. We knew we’d have a chance to counter-attack with Toyosi coming off the bench. It’s our third win in four games and fifth in 10. There’s a real belief in the squad.”

Bolton was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Owen Dodgson but Robinson was not in a place to make a considered assessment.

He added: “I haven’t seen it back. The referee said there was a lot of momentum. I’ve only seen it from a distance so it’s hard to make an informed comment.”

The game kicked off 30 minutes late after Dundee were held up in traffic, with Robinson conceding it was a compromise between him and opposite number, Tony Docherty.

He added: “You can’t help the traffic. We agreed when to move it back to. Tony wanted it a little later than that but I’d probably have been asleep by then!”

Docherty was frustrated that his side wasn’t awarded a late penalty for handball, especially after the one conceded by his team against Hearts at the weekend.

The Dundee manager said: “There was a decision in the 87th minute that should have gone our way, based on previous games. We’re aggrieved at that.

“It’s a handball that’s identical to the one Lee Ashcroft was punished for on Saturday. Yes, I agree the player’s hands weren’t in an unnatural position.

“But it stops the ball’s path to goal. I don’t understand why that one against Hearts was a penalty, and that one wasn’t.”

Second-half goals from Mikael Mandron and Toyosi Olusanya helped 10-man St Mirren to a 2-0 home win over Dundee in the cinch Premiership.

James Bolton was sent off for the home side late on after Mandron had put them in front but the visitors could not capitalise on the man advantage and conceded a second goal to Olusanya late on.

The victory extended fifth-placed Saints’ advantage over Dundee to nine points albeit having played a game more.

Manager Stephen Robinson went with the same starting line-up that thrashed Hibernian 3-0 at the weekend, with returning Australia international Keanu Baccus named among their substitutes.

Dundee, in turn, made just one change from their defeat to Hearts, with former Saints striker Curtis Main replacing Amadou Bakayoko in attack.

Kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes after the Dundee team bus was caught in traffic on their way to the stadium from their hotel.

It was the home side who had the first real chance, with Mandron’s turn and shot well off target.

Elvis Bwomono then unleashed a long-range effort that similarly flew over the crossbar.

Dundee responded with a Jordan McGhee header that was also off target before Trevor Carson was the first goalkeeper called into action to save Mandron’s low effort at the other end.

Alex Gogic then came close to opening the scoring with a flicked header from Greg Kiltie’s corner but it drifted just wide of the far post.

James Scott launched a shot that nearly sailed over the stand as St Mirren turned up the pressure without giving the Dundee defence too much to worry about.

The visitors almost forged in front on a counter-attack following a St Mirren corner.

Luke McCowan sent Owen Beck running clear from just outside the Dundee box but he was tracked all the way by Hyeok-kyu Kwon, on loan from Celtic, who did well to block the Liverpool loanee’s shot. Beck then pulled his second effort wide.

Saints had the first chance of the second half but Bolton’s header from Caolan Boyd-Munce’s corner lacked the power to beat Carson.

Gogic then headed wide from Kiltie’s free-kick before Baccus’ drive from the edge of the penalty box touched the top of the crossbar before going over.

St Mirren’s pressure finally told after 73 minutes when they went ahead. Mandron’s strike looked to be covered by Carson but the Northern Irishman could only push his shot into the net.

Mandron then passed up a gilt-edged chance to double the home side’s lead before substitute Lewis Jamieson saw his low driven shot well saved by Carson and Kiltie blazed an effort wide at the far post.

St Mirren played out the last five minutes with 10 men after Bolton was sent off for a heavy tackle on Owen Dodgson before Olusanya sprang the Dundee offside trap to score their second goal in stoppage time.