St Mirren lost their first game of the pre-season this evening as they went down 2-1 against Crusaders at their Seaview Stadium.

With a game against Derry City due up in 24 hours time, Danny Lennon rang out the changes from the side that beat Ballymena United last Saturday with Sean Lynch and Garry Brady being the only starters in both games.

It was the home side who came out the traps the quickest with the very young Saints side finding themselves quickly on the back foot.

The home side were creating all the chances and Stuart Dallas should have put them ahead after only 5 minutes of play but his shot from 12 yards out went high of the target.

But 3 minutes later Dallas got on the score-sheet when a long throw-in was flicked back from the front post, the ball fell to Dallas who was unmarked and he volleyed it into the back of the net.

Ten minutes later the flick on header from a throw-in had the Saints defence struggling again but this time the home side's Chris Morrow saw his shot rattle off the post.

On the 43rd minute Saints had a chance to pull level but Steven Thomson's shot from just inside the area went narrowly past the post.

By the half-time break it was fair to say that Danny Lennon's side were fortunate to only be the one goal down.

Half-time: Crusaders 1-0 Saints

Saints made a number of changes at half-time which over the piece saw a much better performance over the second 45 minutes.

Most notable were the introduction of Craig Dargo and Paul McGowan who looked to combine well up front together with Dargo getting on the end of a good few chances.

The unfortunate substitute was Hugh Murray who helped the ball over his own goal-line on the 55th minute after Crusaders' Jordan Owens headed the ball goalwards from a free-kick.

Minute's later home keeper, Chris Keenan made an outstanding save from an Ally Love shot

With 7 minutes left Dargo pulled Saints back into the game when he headed home an out swinging corner-kick from 6 yards out.

Five minutes later Dargo nearly pulled St Mirren back to all square but his volley from 15 yards out just dropped over the bar.

Despite taking a bit of a beating in the first half, a vastly improved second half performance from Saints maybe had them thinking they were a bit unfortunate to be on the losing side.

Saints complete their tour of Northern Ireland tomorrow night when they face Derry City.

Full-time: Crusaders 2-1 Saints

Crusaders: Keenan, McKeoan, McBride, McCann, Magowan, Coates, Dallas, Morrow, Halliday, Rainey, Donnelly.

St Mirren: Samson, McLennan, Love, Lynch, McAusland, Bradley, Faulds, Brady, Higdon, Thomson, trialist.

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