A goal in each half was enough to give Hibs a 2-0 win over St Mirren that keeps them top of the league.

A Stuart Lovell brace gave Alex McLeish's men the advantage when he netted just before the break before a second in the last minute of the game secured the win.

But a stunning display by St Mirren keeper Ludovic Roy denied the Edinburgh club the opportunity to add to the tally, despite Hibs' advances on the Saints goal.

Hibs wasted no time in setting about maintaining their place at the top of the league. After just two minutes Mathias Jack went on a great run that took him to the edge of the six-yard box but the danger was cleared by Tommy Turner.

A minute later, a Russell Latapy throw-in found Dirk Lehmann in a prime position in front of goal but his shot was blocked by Saints keeper Roy.

The home side seemed to be swamping the Saints goal in the opening minutes of the game, until Steven McGarry's cross found Jose Quitongo for a chance at the other end of the park, but the little striker's header was weak.

After 12 minutes Ricky Gillies was harshly judged to have brought down Latapy 20 yards from goal. Franck Sauzee took the free-kick, and his inswinging shot looked goal-bound until Barry McLaughlin's clearance at the far post.

Three minutes later Lovell burst into the box, but, before he could pull the trigger, keeper Roy flew off his line to block, injuring himself in the process and having to receive treatment.

Latapy was looking like the danger man for Hibs and he was again brought down just outside the 18-yard box - this time by Hugh Murray.

Sauzee again stepped up for the set-piece but this time was denied by a fully recovered Roy.

Despite a tough start, St Mirren pushed their way back into the game and looked to be more settled in midfield by 20 minutes.

But an increasingly slippery-looking surface was causing problems and resulted in Gillies becoming the second St Mirren player to be attended to by the physio.

Hibs were still creating the chances and Latapy went on another great run but fired into the side-netting on the half hour mark and was quickly followed by a carbon-copy attempt by Jack.

Only the heroics of the St Mirren keeper kept the scoreline level after 31 minutes. A Latapy corner pin-pointed Lovell in the box but the midfielder's header was denied by a superb reflex save by Roy.

But Lovell was threatening again just five minutes when he skipped past the Saints defence and looked certain to ram home the opener only for the shot to be cleared by McLaughlin.

Roy came to the rescue again four minutes before the interval when he saved a thunderbolt Sauzee free-kick.

But the keeper was helpless just a minute later. Sauzee flicked on to John O'Neil, whose cross found Lovell, and he finally did what he had been threatening to do for most of the first half, when he fired home to give Hibs the lead.

Just two minutes into the second half, Hibs were already on the look-out for their second. Jack broke free down the right, before unleashing a powerful drive that called keeper Roy into action again.

Former St Johnstone midfielder O'Neil was next to have a go as McLaughlin allowed him into the area but O'Neil couldn't get a clear shot and the ball deflected off the big defender after 48 minutes.

This was Scott Walker's first league outing since recovering from a groin strain but he made an impression for the wrong reasons when he found his name in referee Dave Somers' book.

Hibs' advances on the St Mirren goal were causing concern as frontmen McGarry and Paeslack were swapped for striker Mark Yardley and midfielder Tom Brown in 58 minutes.

But, within minutes of arriving on the park, Yardley's name joined Walker's in the referee's book after he was cautioned for a challenge on Sauzee.

After 69 minutes Brown sent a cross into the box in a bid to pull the Saints level but Yardley, perfectly placed in front of goal, failed to connect properly and the chance was missed.

Yardley had another chance for Saints after 74 minutes when he pounced on the rebound of a Brown shot but sent the effort flying over the crossbar.

But frustrations were starting to grow and McLaughlin became the next St Mirren player to be shown the yellow card after 79 minutes.

Hibs were still looking for the second and it almost came nine minutes from time. An O'Neil pass found substitute Tom McManus but Roy had the shot covered.

But Lovell was still looking dangerous and, in the last minute of the game, he nipped past two St Mirren defenders into the area to fire the second past the keeper.