ST KILDA has climbed into the top eight after posting a 31-point win over a depleted Gold Coast in their twilight clash at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The Saints overcame some early sluggishness and a plucky Suns line-up to improve their record to 7-6, winning 14.19 (103) to 10.12 (72) before a crowd of 15,844.

Full match coverage and stats

In a must-win game for both finals aspirants, neither team would be entirely happy with their performance given the contest was riddled with skill errors, but the Saints were relieved to escape a danger game with four premiership points.

"Pleased to win, plenty to work on," St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said.

The Suns were always going to find it difficult to pull off an upset after making seven changes, six of which were forced due to injuries, the casualties including superstar Gary Ablett (who'd been scheduled to play his 300th game), fellow midfielders Michael Barlow and Aaron Hall and forward Brandon Matera.

Five talking points: St Kilda v Gold Coast

However, they regained quality backmen Rory Thompson and Jarrod Harbrow, along with classy youngsters Touk Miller and Callum Ah Chee – each of whom enjoyed some good moments in a team that provided admirable resistance.

Now the Suns have another injury concern with playmaker Pearce Hanley sitting out the bulk of the last quarter with hamstring tightness.

The unchanged Saints looked set to exploit their under-strength opponent when they blazed 2.4 to 0.1 by the midway point of the first term, before the Suns showed they were up for the fight by responding with the next three goals in the space of just five minutes.

It was the start of a 30-minute surge from the visitors in which they kicked seven of 10 goals to lead by nine points in the second quarter.

The Saints replied with the next three goals, two of them in a row to veteran Nick Riewoldt, to lead by 12 points after a first half in which the lead changed 11 times.

It wouldn't change again.

St Kilda stretched its advantage to 23 points late in the third quarter but Gold Coast refused to go away, with Harbrow (29 disposals), Adam Saad (21) and Hanley (18) providing terrific rebound run, Jarryd Lyons (26 and a goal) solid on-ball and Jack Martin (21) superbly creative in the forward half.

When two of the Suns' best performers – youngster Brayden Fiorini (26) and dominant ruckman Jarrod Witts – goaled early in the last quarter, they'd cut the deficit to just 12 points.

However, the Saints regained their composure to boot the next three goals, including one to defender Jake Carlisle, to virtually ice the game midway through the final term.

Young Saint Jack Billings was a standout with a game-high 30 possessions and was particularly brilliant in the first half when he gathered 18 possessions, a goal and five score assists.

WATCH: Outstanding Billings' dynamic display

Fellow runner Jack Steven (29) started slowly but improved as the game wore on, while Jack Sinclair (26 and a goal), Leigh Montagna (22), Seb Ross (22) and Jack Newnes (17 and 2.1) and Seb Ross (22) used the ball well when many didn't.

Suns skipper Tom Lynch was held goalless for a second successive week, this time by former Magpie Nathan Brown.

Saints forward Tim Membrey began strongly with two first-term goals and should have finished with three.

Another highlight for the Saints was the massive hanger taken by Jade Gresham in the second quarter, before he let himself down by missing the resultant regulation set shot.

"Most of our defence was pretty positive," Richardson said.

"Our team defence, in terms of defending our own turnover, and there were a few of them, was pretty positive. It's been an area that hasn't been a strength of ours.

"Some of their really quick rebound, particularly when Hanley got going, that hurt us. That's a real opportunity for us to improve."

Suns counterpart Rodney Eade said that despite the wholesale changes, he expected his team to win but was pleased with the effort nonetheless.

"Their pressure was good but we just made more mistakes than they did," Eade said.

"(We had) nearly as much contested ball, nearly as many inside 50s (and) we kept persevering but we were just our own worst enemy."

MEDICAL ROOM
St Kilda: The Saints emerged with a clean bill of health.

Gold Coast: Pearce Hanley almost pulled out before the game with back tightness related to a calf and hamstring, and when he experienced hamstring tightness early in the last quarter, he left the field and didn't return. Hanley and the Suns don't believe he has torn the muscle. Touk Miller suffered a corked thigh in the second quarter.

NEXT UP
The Saints cross the Nullarbor to play Fremantle on Sunday at Domain Stadium, where they haven't won since 2011. The Suns have just a six-day break before hosting North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

Jack Billings enjoyed a night out against the Suns. Picture: AFL Photos

ST KILDA             3.6    8.11  10.14    14.19 (103)
GOLD COAST     4.2     7.5     8.9        10.12 (72)

GOALS
St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Membrey 2, Newnes 2, Bruce, Weller, Billings, Lonie, Carlisle, Dunstan, Sinclair
Gold Coast: Wright 2, Lemmens, Shaw, Swallow, Witts, Fiorini, Lyons, MacPherson, Saad

BEST 
St Kilda: Billings, Newnes, Roberton, Ross, Geary, Sinclair
Gold Coast: Lyons, Harbrow, Thompson, Hanley, Miller

INJURIES 
St Kilda: Nil
Gold Coast: Hanley (left hamstring)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Gavine, Nicholls, Hosking

Official crowd: 15,844 at Etihad Stadium