Hibs 2, St Mirren 0: Hibs keep tight grip of top place in the Championship

Martin Boyle fires Hibs into an eighth minute lead against St Mirren with a superb clip over goalkeeper Jamie Langfield

But Holt passed up the chance to claim his own second of the game as he saw Saints goalkeeper Jamie Langfield pull off a tremendous save to prevent the striker making it 3-0 for Hibs from the penalty spot.

Hibs got off to the perfect start when Andrew Shinnie played a superb ball forward to meet the run of Boyle who latched onto it and placed a delicate chip over Langfield.

Holt added a second in the 34th minute, the veteran striker the first to react after his attempted pass to Shinnie had been blocked, firing a low shot from the edge of the penalty area into Langfield's bottom right hand corner.

Langfield, however, was to prove to be the Buddies saviour, denying Boyle with a good save after the pace of the Hibs man had taken him clear of the Saints defence and bettering that stop in the 74th minute as he threw hijmself full length to prevent Holt adding a third from the penalty spot after the striker had been tripped by Gary Irvine. Langfield came out on top again for the Championship;s basement side when confrontede one-on-one by Shinnie.

Saints enjoyed their fair share of possession but other than a first half Ryan Hardie header which was taken off his own goal-line by Lewis Stevenson, they never troubled the Capital outfit.

Hibs: Marciano, McGregor, Hanlon, Fontaine, Gray, Fvyie, Shinnie, McGinn (Bartley 77), Stevenson,, Holt (Graham 84), Boyle (Harris 90+1)

Substitutes not used: Laidlaw, Forster, Cummings, Martin.

St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, Irvine, Gordon, Clarkson (Sutton 64), Mallan, Hutton (C Gallagher 77), Baird, Morgan, Hardie (Magennis (46), Shankland.

Substitutes not used: S Gallacher, Walsh, McLear, Whyte..

Referee: Don Robertson