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Club-by-club midseason review by fans Part 2: Kilmarnock to St Mirren

The second half of the fan perspective on their respective clubs! You can find Part 1 here … Kilmarnock (by Kyle Brown) How do you feel about the season so far and what do you expect from the rest of it? At the time of writing we are sitting 11th, but also only six points off 5th. It’s disappointing we are as low as we are, but I don’t think the table is necessarily reflective of how we have played in some games. We have had a habit of turning wins into draws and draws into hard luck defeats. I was tempted to actually score the season higher due to the fact that we got three European ties and handled ourselves well in those games. But sadly we are toiling in the league and we suffered early defeat in both domestic cups. 5/10 Star players/ flops We haven’t really had any out and out star players. Some players like Brad Lyons and Lewis Mayo have been consistently pretty good. Bobby Wales has come into the team and done well. Delighted for him. The flops are for sure both of the goalkeepers. Neither O’Hara or McCrorie have really staked a claim for the number one or even had a consistent run of games in the team. I was hoping McCrorie had turned a corner only for him to sadly fracture a bone in his face at Parkhead. Biggest surprise of the season so far? I am surprised by just how poor defensively some of the goals we have leaked in are. We were solid defensively last year and Derek McInnes is known for having solid foundations so it is both a shock and source of extreme frustration. You do have to perhaps look at the goalkeeper position but I also think some of our defenders really haven’t hit the heights of last season. Best/ worst away fans? Tough one and no doubt you are going to get pelters whoever you choose. I felt Dundee have brought a decent support to Rugby Park the last few years; shoutout to all the Aberdeen fans who made a horrific journey to us on Boxing Day only to watch their team get pumped 4-0. L’s in the chat that day for both Aberdeen and whoever makes the fixtures as that’s a nightmare for an away fan. Worst – I was shocked at how little fans, home and away, Copenhagen brought to the games. They just didn’t seem to care about playing Kilmarnock in the Conference League less than a year after beating Man Utd and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. I wonder why! How has your club done in the January window and they need before it closes? Jack Burroughs and Oli Bainbridge were both recalled by Coventry and Sunderland, respectively. They weren’t really playing much so it is no great loss. Bainbridge did play in the win away to Tromso though! Our only new signing has been Calvin Ramsay on loan from Liverpool. He was hooked at half time at Tynecastle sadly on his debut. I am hoping he gives us something new and it is a great move for both us and the Scotland-capped youngster. One player you would take from another Premiership side? Kuhn from Celtic. Any Celtic player really to be honest. Anyone that can finish. From a non Old Firm perspective, I have always liked the creativity of Yan Dhanda. I get he is a flair player and probably will flatter to deceive in some games, but I have felt we could have used a player like him over the last three seasons. Motherwell ( by Callum Hart, Journalist for SPFL News Now) How do you feel about the season so far and what do you expect from the rest of it? I think the season has been fairly underwhelming. Although the league table looks good on paper, watching the games is no where near as enjoyable as you would want to see from a team sitting 5th in the league. The standard and tactical choices mean we haven’t been as successful as I believe we could’ve been. I’m glad Kettlewell has stepped down (I’m not happy with the reasons behind it) I feel that with the right choice of manager, the team can finish the season strongly. 5/10 Star players/ flops Lennon Miller has been a standout, massively impressive from a player of his age. Stephen O’Donnell and Tony Watt have failed to impress me this season. Biggest surprise of the season so far? Kettlewell stepping down has to be the biggest shock, I thought there was no way he would be sacked or ever step down. As I mentioned I’m not happy with the reasoning behind him leaving. However, I feel it will be better for the club. Best/ worst away fans? Best – Celtic. Just generally the loudest, don’t stop making noise. Worst – Ross County (although to be fair the long trip makes up for the poor support) How has your club done in the January window and they need before it closes? I think the club have made signings in positions that needed improvement. I’m reserved with my opinion if the players as I haven’t seen anything from a few of them as they have came from down south. I’d like us to sign a number 10 as I feel we could use more creativity in the midfield. One player you would take from another Premiership side? I would have Hamza Igamane, I think he is the leagues best striker. We need someone that can come in and score goals and I think he does that very well. Rangers (by Daniel) How do you feel about the season so far and what do you expect from the rest of it? The season has not been good enough especially away form and against teams that we should be beating but the most annoying part is we beat the teams like Celtic but can’t beat

January 31, 2025

Unlucky number 13 for Dons as St Mirren loss extends winless league run

Jimmy Thelin’s hapless winter continued as Aberdeen were soundly beaten by St Mirren at Pittodrie. In a frenetic opening to proceedings, the home side found themselves under the cosh just seven minutes in after Slobodan Rubezic made a calamitous error to head a simple ball back to Ross Doohan past the keeper and allow Toyosi Olusanya to run in and finish. The Montenegran’s nightmare outing continued as he was all too easily muscled off the ball by Olusanya who proceeded to cut the ball back to an unmarked Mikael Mandron with the Frenchman doubling their lead. Making his struggles known to the bench Rubezic was seen asking to be substituted with just before half-time played as Dorrington came on to make his first appearance since arriving on loan from Tottenham. Despite being the dominant side for large parts of the second half, Aberdeen contrived to concede a third as Mandron added another goal to his tally after racing onto Alex Gogic’s launched ball up the park. Defeat means the Dons have yet to record a league win since November, with another defeat to St Mirren marking the start of their slide down the table. Line-ups: Aberdeen: Doohan, Jensen, Rubezic (Dorrington 40), Tobers, Devlin, Shinnie (c), Heltne Nilsen (Palaversa 46), Okkels (Morris 70), Clarkson (Nisbet 55), Keskinen, Gueye (Duk 70) Unused subs: Ambrose, Boyd, MacKenzie, Ritchie Booked: Keskinen, Duk St Mirren: Hemming, Gogic, Taylor, Fraser, Tanser, O’Hara (Kiltie 46), Boyd-Munce (Smyth 72), Phillips, Penman (Bwomoni 26), Olusanya (Mooney 81), Mandron (Oseni 81) Unused subs: John, Kenny, Scott, Urminsky Booked: Penman, Hemming, Bwomono, Tanser, Kiltie Goals: Olusanya (7), Mandron (36, 78) Referee: Chris Graham

January 25, 2025

Aberdeen end 12 game winless run at Elgin and more in Scottish Cup Round-up

Aberdeen will hope their convincing 3-0 win over League Two side Elgin City will help get their season back on track as they earned a victory for the first time thirteen games. A Shayden Morris opener followed by a second half Duk double put the Dons on track for a breezy progression to the next round, the task made all the easier by Lyall Booth’s dismissal after two yellow cards with over fifteen minutes remaining. Defending champions Celtic overcame a stubborn Kilmarnock side in a 2-1 victory. Captain Callum McGregor had opened the scoring with long range effort but the visitors responded just before the break through teenager Bobby Wales. In the end, the home side proved too strong with Daizan Maeda putting the tie to bed in the second half. After going into the break just a goal up, Rangers turned on the style in the second half to dispatch the spirited Highland League Fraserburgh side 5-0. A Cyriel Dessers hat-trick and goals from Clinton Nsiala and Ross McCausland ensured the home side would have their name in Monday night’s draw. Despite an impressive turnout in the away end, West of Scotland Premier Division’s Clydebank were powerless to stop Hibernian coming away 3-0 victors at Easter Road. With his 5th and 6th goals in just three games Martin Boyle was in fine form to dispatch the sixth tier side. The captain also added an assist for eighteen year old Rudi Molotnikov to his tally for the afternoon. Hearts came back from a goal down to ease to a 4-1 victory over Highland League side Brechin City. Seventeenth minute substitute Scott Bright fired the home side ahead just six minutes later before Yan Dhanda ensured they went into the break level. Neil Critchley’s side pulled away in the subsequent half with Kevin McHattie’s own goal and a double from new signing Elton Kabangu sealing the tie. Championship club Livingston provided the upset of round, scoring in the penultime minute of extra-time to seal a 3-2 win over Ross County in Dingwall. A penalty from Robbie Muirhead had given the away side the lead before Jordan White equalised. David Martindale’s side re-gained the advantage courtesy of Cristian Montano’s goal before County pulled level once again thanks to Ronan Hale. However in the 119th minute Andrew Shinnie ensured there was no way back for the Premiership side to seal progression to the Last 16. St Mirren proved too strong for League One’s Queen of the South with a 3-1 victory in Dumfries. Toyosi Olusanya’s first half double had set the visitors on their way before Brennan Dickinson pulled one back for Queens. The third tier side struggled for a leveller until substitute Caolan Boyd-Munce dashed their hopes in added time. Manager Simo Valikari will hope St Johnstone‘s 1-0 win over Motherwell can kickstart a climb out of the relegation zone in the coming weeks. Scoring after just nine minutes, Makenzie Kirk ensured fans in Perth could finally celebrate a weekend of football. Meanwhile Championship side Ayr United delivered a 8-0 pummelling of Lowland League side Broxburn Athletic. League One’s Dumbarton suffered a 5-1 home loss to Championship strugglers Airdrieonians. There was extra-time joy for fellow Championship side Queen’s Park who came away 3-2 winners over League One team Montrose. Third tier Stenhousemuir could do little to prevent the Championship’s Dunfermline from powering to a 3-0 victory. Hamilton Academical of League One made their way to the next round after putting away East of Scotland Premier Division side Musselburgh Athletic 3-1. Meanwhile Cove Rangers ensured their would be another member of Scotland’s third division in the Last 16 as they cruised to a 2-0 win over Forfar Athletic.

January 20, 2025

Moult Magic Hands Dundee United Late Win

A spectacular overhead kick from Louis Moult separated these two sides in a classic game of two halves. A frantic first half in Paisley saw a revitalised St Mirren aiming to end their winless run. Both teams were in full flow and the first half was a spectacle for the neutral. Just before the five minute mark, Richard Taylor thought he put his side in front as his header was cleared off the line by Luca Stephenson. A VAR check took place and confirmed it did not cross the line to the dismay of the home support. Dundee United broke through Glenn Middleton and his pass found Sam Dalby but the striker could not convert. A quick break from St Mirren resulted in a wayward effort from Roland Idowu as the home side started to gain a foothold in the game. Progressing through the thirds impressively, some neat interplay from Greg Kiltie, Killian Phillips and Mikael Mandron resulted in a Phillips’ effort being blocked by Emmanuel Adegboyega. Kevin Holt had his volley safely held by Zach Hemming as did Vicko Ševelj in the visitors’ best chances of the game. The Buddies continued to dominate possession and looked a threat going forward and from set pieces much to the delight of the home crowd who witnessed a rejuvenated performance from their side. An off ball incident involving former Saints Declan Gallagher and Greg Kiltie was addressed by the referee to no repercussion for the United defender. Killian Phillips saw his delightful header expertly palmed away by Jack Walton as the half drew to a close. Half Time: St Mirren 0-0 Dundee United Dundee United came flying out the traps and just after kick off they had the ball in the net through Šelvej but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside. The game continued in its chaotic nature as Elvis Bwomono missed a glorious chance from a St Mirren counter as the ball was crossed in by Tanser, the Ugandan couldn’t quite sort his feet out to convert. Glenn Middleton was next to test the St Mirren defence. A quick break through Stephenson found the winger who was hunted down by Iacovitti and his effort was deflected wide. Some quick feet from Roland Idowu found the feet of Mandron who danced and weaved his way into space in the United box before crashing an effort off the underside of the bar in a shot that looked destined for the back of the net. St Mirren stopper Zach Hemming had to be on top form as he was quick to react to save a goal bound shot from Middleton before pouncing on an effort from in form Sam Dalby. Mikael Mandron used his body well and fended off Declan Gallagher before squaring the ball to his captain Mark O’Hara but his effort sailed over. Mandron was involved again as he sent his strike partner Toyosi Olusanya through on goal. The latter broke through the heart of the United defence and was 1 on 1 with Jack Walton but smashed his shot straight off the goalkeeper who made himself big. St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson had his head in his hands and the forward should have done better. The hosts had to contain pressure from their opponents and a combination of blocks from Alex Iacovitti and Marcus Fraser along with a point blank save from Hemming kept the score level going into the final five minutes. Substitute Louis Moult would grab the headlines as with two minutes to play he got on the end of a cross and lashed a fine overhead kick into the far corner, giving Hemming no chance and sending the away fans into delirium. Dundee United will have goalkeeper Jack Walton to thank as Olusanya was clipped in the box by Kevin Holt and St Mirren were given a lifeline at the death. However, Walton guessed right and smothered Olusanya’s penalty and the three points would head back to Dundee. Full Time: St Mirren 0-1 Dundee United A break from league action sees St Mirren visit Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup, meanwhile Dundee United travel the short distance to Dens Park to play their city rivals in the same competition. Teams: St Mirren– Hemming (GK), Fraser, Taylor, Iacovitti, Bwomono (Penman, 95”), Tanser, Phillips (Oseni, 95”), O’Hara (C), Kiltie (Boyd-Munce, 73”), Idowu (Olusanya, 63”), Mandron (Mooney, 95”) Dundee United– Walton (GK), Strain, Holt, Ševelj, Ferry, Middleton (Moult, 61”), Adegboyega, Stephenson (van der Sande, 86”) , Dalby, Docherty (C), Gallagher Attendance: 7440 Referee: David Dickinson

January 11, 2025

Celtic bounce back to comfortably beat St Mirren

Venue: Celtic Park Date: 05/01/25 Time: 15:00pm Celtic bounced back from their midweek defeat to Rangers to comfortably dispatch St Mirren. A third consecutive defeat for Stephen Robinson’s men. Nicolas Kuhn’s remarkable season continued when he opened the scoring, darting past his defenders to meet Daizan Maeda’s pinpoint low ball across the box. Once the floodgates had been opened there was little hope a comeback for the visitors, Auston Trusty was far too comfortable heading in an Arne Engels corner for his first goal in a Celtic shirt. A third and final blow would be delivered in the second half as confusing rained down on the visitors’ backline. Engels had found himself surrounded and his back heel seemed to be falling into Zach Hemming’s hands before he and Marcus Fraser collided to see the ball drop to Kuhn’s unforgiving feet. Despite knocking at the door on numerous occasions, striker Adam Idah struggled to get the beating of Hemming and score his first league goal since November. An early headed effort from another dangerous Engels corner early on could not be directed on target as St Mirren attempted limit their hosts’ opportunities. Unfortunate too was the Republic of Ireland international to see his deflection of Engels’s shot saved by the keeper signed loan for the second time to replace Ellery Balcombe, himself recalled by Brentford. Despite being marked by two players Maeda also had an opportunity to add a goal of his own but winger’s header lacked the requisite accuracy to trouble the keeper. St Mirren had their best opportunity of the game late on when Jonah Ayunga outmuscled Cameron Carter-Vickers just outside the six yard area but Kasper Schmeichel reacted well to make the save. With Rangers drawing away to Hibernian, Celtic gave themselves a thirteen point cushion at the top of the table. Meanwhile St Mirren find themselves just one point above seventh place Hibs. Line-Ups: Celtic (4-3-3): K. Schmeichel, G. Taylor, A. Trusty, C. Carter-Vickers, A. Johnston, A. Engels, C. McGregor (c), L. McCowan (R. Hatate 70’), D. Maeda (L. Palma 83’), A. Idah (K. Furuhashi 83’), N. Kuhn (Yang Hyun-Jun 71’) Substitutes: K. Furuhashi, P. Bernardo, R. Hatate, L. Palma, A. Ralston, L. Scales, V. Sinisalo, Alex Valle, Yang Hyun-Jun St Mirren (3-5-1-1): Z. Hemming, R. Taylor, A. Gogic, M. Fraser, S. Tanser (D. John 84’), M. O’Hara (c) (O. Smyth 62’), C. Boyd-Munce (R. Idowu 83’), K. Phillips, E. Bwomono, G. Kiltie (O. Oseni 62’), T. Olusanya (J. Ayunga 62’) Substitutes: J. Ayunga, A. Iacovitti, R. Idowu, D. John, M. Mandron, E. Mooney, O. Oseni, O. Smyth, P. Urminsky Referee: Grant Irvine

January 6, 2025

Bruce Anderson Double Downs St Mirren in Kilmarnock

St Mirren are still winless since 2013 in the league at Rugby Park as the hosts run out 2-0 winners in a scrappy contest. It didn’t take long for Kilmarnock to go ahead. A mistake from Alex Gogic led to Bruce Anderson racing through on goal and in recovery the St Mirren centre back bundled him over in the box and a penalty was awarded. Ellery Balcombe saved the initial effort but Anderson was quickest to react and put his side ahead after 8 minutes. St Mirren reacted well and if not for a deflection, Toyosi Olusanya’s goal bound effort may have troubled Robbie McCrorie in the Kilmarnock goal. The home side dominated the ball for the first 45, with Anderson being a menace to the St Mirren back line playing off the shoulder and causing real mix ups between Alex Gogic, Richard Taylor and Alex Iacovitti. St Mirren had a couple of soft penalty claims waved away with Olusanya going down in the box but to no reward. Kilmarnock were dealt a blow with captain Kyle Vassell taking a knock to the ankle and was replaced just before half time with ex-Buddie Kyle Magennis. Apart from Balcombe tipping over a Bobby Wales cross, neither keeper had much to do with from Scott Tanser, Marcus Fraser and Richard Taylor keeping the home side at bay as the half came to a close. Half Time: Kilmarnock 1-0 St Mirren A half time change for St Mirren saw the return of Captain Mark O’Hara, replacing Oisin Smyth in the hope of sparking some much needed life into the away sides’ performance. The Saints started the brighter of the two sides and a whipped corner from O’Hara met the head of Richard Taylor and his effort whistled agonisingly by the post. It was, however, Kilmarnock who doubled their lead soon after and dampening the momentum of their opponents in the process. Magennis worked hard to dispossess Richard Taylor and led the counter from his side. Some nice interplay with Bruce Anderson put the midfielder through on goal where he was brought down in the box by Gogic. This time Anderson sends Balcombe the wrong way and put his team two goals to the good just after the hour mark. The changes rung in for St Mirren, including a debut for new signing Owen Oseni but the game was only going one way with nothing quite falling for them in the Kilmarnock half. It took until the 70th minute for the away side to register their first shot on target with a tame shot from O’Hara going straight into the arms of McCrorie. Kyle Magennis found himself one on one with Balcombe but the St Mirren stopper did well to deny the striker at point blank range with less than ten minutes to go. In added time, St Mirren thought they had a consolation with a corner from Tanser being gathered by McCrorie who seemed to have fallen over his line but the referee blew for a foul to save the keepers’ blushes. Full Time: Kilmarnock 2-0 St Mirren Next up for Derek McInnes and his side is a home test against a Ross County side looking to climb their way to safety. Meanwhile St Mirren head to Celtic Park hoping to cause an upset against the runaway league leaders. Standout Performer: As seems to always be the case against St Mirren, Bruce Anderson caused them all sorts of problems. Playing off the shoulder then dropping deep he was uncontainable and deserved his double on the day. Teams: Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Mayo, Wright, Deas, Ndaba, Murray, Polworth (Donnelly, 73”), Lyons, Anderson (Watson, 84”), Vassell (C)(Magennis, 44”), Wales (Cameron, 74”) St Mirren: Balcombe, Iacovitti, Gogic (Bwomono, 66”), Taylor, Tanser, Fraser (C), Smyth (O’Hara, 46”), Phillips, Idowu (Mandron, 54”), Ayunga (Oseni, 66”), Olusanya (Kiltie, 74”) Attendance: 6603 Referee: Colin Steven

January 2, 2025

January 2025 Transfer News: Scottish Premiership Signings, Departures, and Deals

Stay Updated: All the Latest Scottish Premiership Transfers on SNN Sports The January transfer window is in full swing, and clubs across the Scottish Premiership are making key moves to strengthen their squads. From last-minute deals to blockbuster signings, SNN Sports has you covered with real-time updates. Follow our Transfer Centre blog for breaking news, confirmed signings, and expert analysis. Plus, explore our comprehensive list of all the ins and outs from the 2025 January transfer window—only on SNN Sports! Aberdeen Transfers In Alexander Jensen – – IF Brommapojkarna, undisclosed Jeppe Okkels – Preston, loan Kristers Tobers – Grasshopper Club Zurich, undisclosed Alfie Dorrington – Tottenham, loan Alexander Jensen – IF Brommapojkarna, undisclosed Out James McGarry – Athens Kallithea, loan Celtic transfers In Jota – Rennes, £8m Out Stephen Welsh – KV Mechelen, loan Odin Holm – LAFC, loan Alexandro Bernabei – Internacional, £5m Kyogo Furuhashi – Rennes, £10m Dundee transfers In Aaron Donnelly – Nottingham Forest, undisclosed Imari Samuels – Brighton, undisclosed Victor Lopez – Queretaro, loan Cesar Garza – Monterrey, loan Out Sammy Braybrooke – Leicester City, recalled from loan Curtis Main – Ayr United Dundee United transfers In Ruari Paton – Port Vale, loan Lewis Fiorini – Stockport County, loan Out Jack Newman – Livingston, loan Hearts transfers In Elton Kabangu – Royal Union SG, loan Jamie McCart – Rotherham United, undisclosed Lewis Neilson – St Johnstone, recalled from loan Michael Steinwender – IFK Värnamo, undisclosed Sander Kartum – SK Brann, undisclosed Out Liam Boyce – Derry City, undisclosed Kye Rowles – D.C. United, undisclosed Daniel Oyegoke – Hellas Verona, undisclosed Hibernian transfers In Alasana Manneh – Odense Boldklub, undisclosed Out Josh O’Connor – Crusaders, undisclosed Nohan Kenneh – Ross County, loan Jake Doyle-Hayes – Released Kilmarnock transfers In Calvin Ramsay – Liverpool, loan Out Jack Burroughs – Coventry City, recalled from loan – Motherwell transfers In Kai Andrews – Coventry City, loan Archie Mair – Norwich City, loan Ellery Balcombe – Brentford, loan Luke Armstrong – Carlisle United, loan Out – Rangers transfers In Rafael Fernandes – Lille, loan Out Robbie Fraser – Livingston, loan Cole McKinnon – Ayr United, loan Kieran Dowell – Birmingham City, loan Ross County transfers In Nohan Kenneh – Hibernian, loan Kieran Phillips – Huddersfield Town, undisclosed Zac Ashworth – Blackpool, loan Jonathan Tomkinson – Norwich City, loan Out Eamonn Brophy – Falkirk, loan Ricki Lamie – Hamilton, loan St Johnstone transfers In Victor Griffith – Arabe Unido, undisclosed Sam Curtis – Sheffield United, loan Jonathan Svedberg – Allsvenskan, undisclosed Daniels Balodis – RFS, undisclosed Out Kyle Cameron – Notts County, recalled from loan Lewis Neilson – Hearts, recalled from loan Connor Smith – Hamilton Accies, undisclosed St Mirren transfers In Owen Oseni – Gateshead, undisclosed Zach Hemming – Middlesbrough, loan Out Kieran Offord – Linfield, undisclosed

January 1, 2025

Simon Murray Double Sees Dundee Seal 3 Points in Paisley

Dundee recover from Boxing Day County mauling with a 2-1 win over St Mirren. The home side began the game brightly with Roland Idowu testing ex-Saints goalkeeper Trevor Carson after only 5 minutes. The winger continued to make menacing, bursting runs forward and flashed the ball across the face of goal but there were no takers. Dundee continued to battle but were forced into 2 early changes due to injuries to Jordan McGhee and Billy Koumetio. They were replaced with Ethan Ingram and Sean Kelly after 20 minutes. From here the away side turned the tide of the game and the St Mirren defence found themselves under pressure. Ellery Balcombe spilled a cross from Oluwaseun Adewumi and if not for a combination of blocks from Alex Gogic and Marcus Fraser, St Mirren would have found themselves 1-0 down. However it was not long until Simon Murray broke the deadlock. A cross from Josh Mulligan met the head of Murray who headed the away side in front just before the half hour mark. Mulligan’s crosses would continue to test the St Mirren back line and if not for double, point-blank saves from Balcombe they would have been in further trouble. The windy conditions made this a difficult contest but just before half time Marcus Fraser made a driving run forward before finding Elvis Bwomono. The Ugandan defender whipped an inviting cross across the 6 yard line which Toyosi Olusanya met with a diving header, levelling the game. Half Time: St Mirren 1-1 Dundee Chances at both ends gave a false impression of the way this half would go. Olusanya was sent through on goal by Idowu but his shot was blasted into the side netting. Straight up the other end and Seb Palmer-Houlden had his volley tipped over by Balcombe. From here the game began to get scrappy with neither side managing to grasp a foothold in the game. St Mirren turned to their bench hoping to spark some well needed life into the game, introducing target men Jonah Ayunga and Mikael Mandron to the fold. It was, however, Dundee that began to pile on the pressure and with 25 minutes to go Simon Murray got his second. The hosts failed to clear a free kick delivery before the ball was sent back into the box by Ryan Astley and Murray nodded the ball off of the crossbar and into the back of the net. The rest of the half was stop-start and fizzled out with no clear cut chances. As St Mirren pushed for the equaliser, nothing would fall for them in the final third and stoppage time wouldn’t come to the rescue this time. Full Time: St Mirren 1-2 Dundee Both sides look ahead to tough matches to kick off their New Year. On Thursday, St Mirren make the short journey along the M77 to face Kilmarnock and Dundee play host to the Dundee derby, aiming to burst the bubble of their city rivals. Teams: St Mirren: Balcombe, Iacovitti, Gogic, Fraser (C), Bwomono (Penman, 82”), John, Phillips, Smyth (Boyd-Munce, 75”), Kiltie (Mooney, 75”), Olusanya (Mandron, 63”), Idowu (Ayunga, 63”) Dundee: Carson (C), Astley, McGhee (Kelly, 22”), Mulligan, Cameron, Adewumi (Tiffoney, 90”), Murray, Robertson, Koumetio (Ingram, 22”), Palmer-Holden, Sylla Referee: Nick Walsh Attendance: 6798

December 29, 2024

St Mirren Time Strikes Again as Boyd-Munce Scores Late Winner

St Mirren recorded their first league win over Rangers since Christmas Eve in 2011 as Caolan Boyd-Munce struck late to earn his side 3 points on Boxing Day. In Paisley, St Mirren looked to make it three wins on the bounce after back to back wins against St Johnstone and Ross County respectively. Meanwhile Philippe Clement’s Rangers would be eager to continue their fine run of form in their penultimate fixture before the Old Firm derby next Thursday. St Mirren started the game on the front foot. Declan John, fresh off the back of signing a contract extension with the Buddies left James Tavernier in his mist as he darted down the line. His cross, however, was of no trouble to Jack Butland in the Rangers goal. In the 25th minute, it was the home side who created the first clear cut chance. Marcus Fraser whipped in a cross which met the feet of Greg Kiltie. The midfielder controlled it but his shot was blocked by a well-positioned Dujon Sterling. Noticeable frustrations on the pitch for the away side. Vaclav Cerny in particular was not shy in urging his side on. Some resolute defending from Marcus Fraser and Alex Gogic resulted in a quick counter attack and an exquisite pass from Oisin Smyth sent Olusanya through on goal. Leon Balogun looked to have pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury but managed to recover and clear the danger for his side before being substituted for Dutch defender Robin Pröpper. Jack Butland would be next to fall foul to St Mirren’s quick counter as he wiped out an onrushing Greg Kiltie. Much to the disgruntlement of the home crowd only a yellow was brandished but their side earned a penalty. Oisin Smyth stepped up and calmly slotted past Butland and put his side ahead after half an hour. Tensions toppled over on the sidelines with Rangers boss Philippe Clement receiving a yellow card for voicing his frustrations. Hamza Igamane saw his shot land straight into the arms of Ellery Balcombe and a series of St Mirren corners ended the half with the home side one goal to the good. Half Time: St Mirren 1- 0 Rangers Half time changes by Rangers saw the introduction of Nicolas Raskin and Danilo which ignited the away side. Less than a minute was played before James Tavernier fired a cross along the St Mirren six yard line but there were no takers. The Ibrox side continued to pile on the pressure with Balcombe in the home sides’ goal having to be on high alert but it was not long before they found the equaliser. A succession of corners led to a mix up in the St Mirren box and Danilo managed to squeeze his shot into the goal, levelling the game. Shots from Igamane and Danilo were expertly saved by Balcombe, followed quickly by a rocket from Vaclav Cerny which rattled the outside of the post had the hosts riding a fine line. Robinson looked to his bench and brought on Jonah Ayunga and Alex Iacovitti to try and get his team back into the game as they contained pressure from their visitors. In what seems to be a common theme, St Mirren came to life in the last 10 minutes. A corner of their own whipped in by goalscorer Oisin Smyth almost caught Butland off guard but the stopper will have been glad to see the ball hit the frame of his goal before going behind for a goal kick. 6 minutes of added time followed the introduction of Paisley youngsters Callum Penman and Evan Mooney, who sparked a new lease of life into the home crowd. They roared their side on and in the 93rd minute they reaped their reward. Ayunga hunted the ball down and dispossessed Sterling. The striker made a driving run down the left hand side before squaring the ball to Mooney who had composure beyond his years. Controlling the ball and laying it off perfectly to Caolan Boyd-Munce and the midfielder placed the ball into the bottom left hand corner. The Buddies held on and secure their third win in as many games. Full Time: St Mirren 2- 1 Rangers In a quick turnaround, the Paisley side end 2024 with a home match against Dundee on Sunday and Rangers make the short trip to Fir Park to face Motherwell. Standout Performer: Ellery Balcombe– Every shot thrown at him he was of equal measure and if it wasn’t for some of his lightning quick reactions his side may well have had a mountain to climb as they were put under pressure by their visitors in the 2nd half. The stopper commanded his area well and took the pressure off his back line when needed. Teams: St Mirren: Balcombe (GK), Fraser (C), Taylor, Gogic, John (Penman, 83”), Bwomono (Iacovitti, 63”), Phillips, Smyth, Kiltie (Ayunga, 63”), Idowu (Boyd-Munce, 74”), Olusanya (Mooney, 83”) Rangers: Butland (GK), Tavernier (C), Sterling, Balogun (Pröpper, 19”), Jefte (Yilmaz, 78”), Barron (Raskin, 46”), Diomande, Cerny, Bajrami (Danilo, 46”), Hagi, Igamane (Dessers, 82”) Referee: David Dickinson Attendance: 7175

December 26, 2024

Oisin Smyth earns ten man Saints three points in Dingwall

Venue: Global Energy Stadium Date: 21/12/24 Time: 15:00 Oisin Smyth’s fantastic free kick gave St Mirren an important 2-1 win in awful weather despite Scott Tanser’s sending off early in the second half. Alex Iacovetti had given the visitors the lead against his former club in the first half when keeper Jack Hamilton failed to push Oisin Smith’s tame free kick into safety. County responded just 29 seconds into the second half when Michee Efete was quickest to his blocked effort following a Noah Chilvers cross. Despite going into the break a goal down, County were dominant in large spells, let down by a lack of accuracy. Chilvers sent a free kick from a promising position wide before Ronan Hale failed to trouble the Ellery Balcombe with an ambitious overhead kick. Already feeling the heat after conceding an equaliser Stephen Robinson looked on as Scott Tanser earned himself a second yellow after a crunching challenge on Aiden Denholm to leave his side with ten men. Despite the numerical disadvantage the Saints pushed for a winner, Oisin Smyth not far from giving them one, his attempt curling just wide. Jonah Ayunga’s introduction an added edge up front, the Kenyan international forcing Hamilton into making a strong save. Akil Wright had a golden opportunity for County but could only skew Kacper Lopata’s cross wide as the side fell to their fourth consecutive defeat. Cowie’s men face difficult games against Dundee and Hearts as they sit just two points off the bottom of the table. Smyth’s set-pieces separate sides Since moving from Oxford United the Northern Irishman has hardly been the first name on the team sheet, today was just his second start of the season. It’s fair to say he made the most of it in the Highlands. His first free kick, whilst hardly thunderous, put the keeper under enough pressure to see the ball land at the feet of a grateful Iacovetti. The second was textbook despite the blustery conditions, curling his effort from outside the box past a hapless Hamilton to give his side the win. He has to bide his time this season, but with a goal and an assist tonight Smyth has Stephen Robinson yet another head scratcher ahead of home fixtures against Rangers and Dundee. Lack of goals haunt County With just fourteen goals this season, Don Cowie’s side’s lack of creativity in the final third continues to harm any chance of becoming a top six side. Ronan Hale has been the main source of goals with five but he cut a isolated figure this evening, not getting the necessary service to cause damage, his desperation epitomised in the wildly inaccurate overhead kick in the first half. One month ago they were three points behind St Mirren in sixth, driven by an ability to pick up points here and there. Now that gap has stretched to nine as sides around the bottom of the table continue to earn crucial points of their own, Hibernian beating Aberdeen tonight. Efete’s goal was much deserved but the side needed to capitalise on the reduced numbers of their opponents, their failure to do so means they will drop into the relegation play-off place whatever the score when Hearts welcome St Johnstone tomorrow. What the managers said Ross County boss Don Cowie: “St Mirren go down to ten men, the game’s perfectly poised for us to step through and get a valuable three points. At that moment in time we did nowhere near enough to go and win the game. “[They] dealt with the conditions so much better than us and we did not test them considering they were down to ten. “The results have not been good enough over the last six weeks and maybe the players are feeling a little low in terms of confidence.” St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson: “I think the character shown was superb. It was a real tough game in the conditions I’m sure Don said the same. “We started really poorly in the second half but our response to that was terrific. “Oisin starts and scores a wonder goal and sets the first one up. He’s a boy I believe will get better and better with each game and more football matches.” Attendance: 3,271 Line-ups: Ross County: J. Hamilton, C. Randall (c), K. Lopata, A. Wright, G. Harmon (J. Reid 68’), S. Allardice (A. Denholm 46’), J. Nisbet (E. Brophy 69’), M. Efete, N. Chilvers, R. Hale, J. White Substitutes: J. Amissah, R. Leak, V. Loturi, M. Sheaf, J. Grieves, A. Denholm, C. Telfer, E. Brophy, J. Reid St Mirren: E. Balcombe, R. Taylor, A. Iacovetti, M. Fraser, S. Tanser, K. Phillips, O. Smyth, E. Bwomono, G. Kiltie, M. Mandron (J. Ayunga 77’), R. Idowu (A. Gogic 76’) Substitutes: P. Urminsky, J. Ayunga, A. Gogic, J. Scott, C. Boyd-Munce, D. Adeniran, L. Kenny, C. Penman, E. Mooney. Referee: Iain Snedden

December 21, 2024

St Mirren

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