St Mirren Archives - Page 6 of 6

“Unplayable” St Mirren Frontline Boost European Ambitions

Dundee United 0-2 St Mirren Mandron (31′) Ayunga (66′) St Mirren secured their first win at Tannadice since 2022 with a commanding 2-0 victory over Dundee United, significantly bolstering their prospects of consecutive European qualification. The Buddies established early control, confidence clearly stemming from their unbeaten post-split form. Initial forays saw Mikael Mandron and Ronald Idowu direct efforts wide of the target, much to the encouragement of their vocal travelling support. For United, their top goal scorer, Sam Dalby was a consistent presence, but he could only head over their best chance of the first half from a dangerous Glen Middleton delivery. Just after the half-hour mark, St Mirren’s early pressure paid dividends. A neat exchange with Ryan Alebiosu culminated in Mandron drilling a precise low shot past a helpless Jack Walton in the United goal. The visitors should have doubled their advantage shortly thereafter when Richard Taylor’s incisive pass split the Dundee United defence, sending Jonah Ayunga clear on goal, but his strike lacked composure and soared over the bar. This seemed to prompt a formation change for the home side, it offered a glimmer of hope when Ross Docherty’s header narrowly missed the target. Overall, Stephen Robinson would have been the considerably happier of the two managers at the interval, with Mandron’s well-taken goal marking their first against Dundee United in five encounters this season. United offered a brief resurgence at the beginning of the second half, with Dalby flashing a shot wide before his powerful header was parried away by Zach Hemming. However, it was St Mirren who consistently appeared the more likely to extend their lead. The dynamic Alebiosu surged down the right flank before unleashing a fierce strike that Walton did well to tip away. A recurring theme of the second period was the Saints’ potent counter-attacking threat, with Stephen Robinson later describing his forward pairing of Mandron and Ayunga as “unplayable.” Indeed, the likes of Mandron, Ayunga, Killian Phillips, and Idowu frequently threatened the exposed United backline. Phillips himself squandered a golden opportunity to seal the victory when the ball fell kindly to him inside the six-yard box, but mirroring Ayunga’s earlier miss, he blazed his shot over the bar. St Mirren did have the ball in the net for a third time when Mandron cleverly played in Ayunga, who cut inside and slotted a shot past Walton, only for the celebrations to be cut short by the linesman’s raised flag. As the final minutes ticked away and sections of the United support began to drift out of Tannadice, Greg Kiltie’s powerful shot was well saved by Walton. Considering the chances created, St Mirren’s victory could arguably have been even more emphatic than their last Tannadice success, a 3-0 win. Jim Goodwin’s Dundee United will seek to recover from this setback when they travel to Ibrox on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, St Mirren extend their unbeaten league run to three matches and will look forward to a crucial home fixture against Hibernian on Wednesday, a game that has the potential to significantly shape their European aspirations. Teams Dundee Utd: Walton Sevelj Gallagher Adegboyega Strain Ferry Sibbald (Campbell 83’) Docherty (Moult 70’) Middleton Trapanovski (Paton 64’) Dalby St Mirren: Hemming Taylor (Iacovitti 72′) Gogic Fraser Alebiosu John (Tanser 61’) Boyd-Munce Phillips Idowu (Kiltie 76’) Ayunga Mandron Attendance : 9,821

May 10, 2025

Robinson’s Buddies defeat the Dons as they set up a late dash for Europe!

St Mirren ended Aberdeen’s unbeaten run of eight games with a 1-0 win at St. Mirren Park. This win, along with Hibs’ defeat of Dundee United at Easter Road, has given the Buddies a chance at a European place. A set piece on the hour mark from Captain Mark O’Hara found its way through to Mikael Mandron, who sealed the three points. Last weekend, Aberdeen managed to end Hibs’ record-equalling unbeaten run of 17 games at Pittodrie, extending their unbeaten run to 8 games. St. Mirren earned a well-deserved point in their 2-2 draw with Rangers, with some fans believing they may have deserved more from the game. The first half started, and for the opening 10 minutes, it was one-way traffic from the Dons with the Buddies struggling to get out of their half. After this, it became a feisty affair between the two sides, but the visitors looked the most dangerous from chances. In the 25th minute, the travelling side had the ball in the back of the net. A cross into the box, along with scrappy defending, allowed the ball to fall to the feet of Okkels, who slotted it past Zach Hemming. However, the ball appeared to hit the hand of Kevin Nisbet on the way in and was chopped off via VAR. After this, it seemed to spur the home side into life as they began to create more chances in the game. Chances from O’Hara, John, and Mandron came but did not find the back of the net. The first half whistle blew, and both sides had periods of control throughout this feisty encounter. The second half kicked off and continued that feisty display from both sides. The opening 15 minutes continued this way, and then on the hour mark, the home side struck home, thus breaking the deadlock. A set-piece cross from Captain Mark O’Hara 40 yards out found its way through to the far-left hand side of the goal, and Mandron, after signing a new contract this week, fired it home. For the remainder of the game, the visitors controlled the possession of the game but failed to take their chances. This, along with St. Mirren’s physical presence at the back, meant the Dons failed to record a single shot on target in the game. This past week, Manager Stephen Robinson spoke about a push for a European Place. After today’s result, he said; “I know this group of players, the talent they have, they desire they have, and people thought we’d turn up for these two games and not put everything into it, that’s not how my teams work, and not how my players work”. Don’s manager Jimmy Thelin said; “It was a difficult game, I don’t think we were good enough to deserve the win, but maybe not bad enough to lose. It was a typical 0-0 game with something extra needed, a set play or one against one situation, and today they did it and we didn’t do it”. This result makes the race for third between Hibs, Dundee United and Aberdeen all the more interesting as Hibs now have the advantage with the Buddies slowly closing the gap to United.

May 3, 2025

Celtic One Result Away from Title as Post-Split Premiership Fixtures Confirmed

Celtic could secure the Scottish Premiership crown on 26 April when they visit Dundee United, needing just a draw to mathematically confirm their dominance. The reigning champions hold a commanding 15-point advantage over Rangers with only five games left, putting them on the verge of a 13th league title in 14 seasons. In a post-split schedule that raises some familiar concerns about fixture balance, the SPFL has now confirmed the remaining fixtures for both the top and bottom halves of the table. The final Old Firm clash of the campaign is set for Sunday 4 May at Ibrox – a potentially fiery occasion even if the title is already wrapped up. Aberdeen kick off their top-six run with a home tie against Hibernian, while Rangers will travel to face St Mirren in their opener. The top-six fixtures will all conclude on Saturday 17 May with simultaneous 12:30 BST kick-offs. However, the post-split format has once again led to some uneven home-and-away tallies. Hibernian must travel to St Mirren for a third time this season, granting the Buddies 20 home matches and only 18 away. Motherwell, meanwhile, will end their campaign having played 20 away fixtures. It’s the first season since 2017-18 where fixture balance couldn’t be maintained across the league. At the other end of the table, St Johnstone begin their survival bid away to Motherwell. They sit bottom, five points behind the rest with time running out. Just six points separate seventh-placed Hearts from 11th-placed Dundee, with only the side finishing 12th relegated automatically. The team in 11th will enter the play-offs. Bottom-half clubs will conclude their campaigns a day later than the top six, with all games on Sunday 18 May at 15:00 BST. 🔝 Top Six Fixtures Saturday 26 April Dundee United v Celtic (12:30) Aberdeen v Hibernian (15:00) St Mirren v Rangers (15:00) Saturday 3 May Hibernian v Dundee United (15:00) St Mirren v Aberdeen (15:00) Sunday 4 May Rangers v Celtic (12:00) Saturday 10 May Celtic v Hibernian (15:00) Dundee United v St Mirren (15:00) Sunday 11 May Rangers v Aberdeen (12:00) Wednesday 14 May Aberdeen v Celtic (19:45) Rangers v Dundee United (19:45) St Mirren v Hibernian (19:45) Saturday 17 May (All 12:30) Celtic v St Mirren Dundee United v Aberdeen Hibernian v Rangers 🔻 Bottom Six Fixtures Saturday 26 April Hearts v Dundee (15:00) Kilmarnock v Ross County (15:00) Motherwell v St Johnstone (15:00) Saturday 3 May Dundee v Motherwell (15:00) Ross County v Hearts (15:00) St Johnstone v Kilmarnock (15:00) Saturday 10 May Hearts v Motherwell (15:00) Kilmarnock v Dundee (15:00) St Johnstone v Ross County (15:00) Wednesday 14 May Dundee v Ross County (19:45) Hearts v St Johnstone (19:45) Motherwell v Kilmarnock (19:45) Sunday 18 May (All 15:00) Kilmarnock v Hearts Ross County v Motherwell St Johnstone v Dundee

April 15, 2025

Buddies put five past Killie to keep top six hopes alive

St Mirren have ended a four-year winless run against Kilmarnock as they defeated them at home today. It is only Derek McInnes’ 2nd ever defeat to the saints as a manager and his first as the Killie boss. It gives St. Mirren a real boost going into the two final games before the split. For Kilmarnock it sees them teetering over the playoff places at the bottom of the table. Despite the rainy, windy and blustery conditions before kickoff the start of the game greatly contrasted with it, as it was a scintillating opening ten minutes. The Saints press and overlapping runs, put the Killie backline under pressure immediately. It didn’t take long for the opening goal as the saints first shot on goal put them ahead. A low driving shot from Boyd-Munce sizzled past McCrorie. Only moments later the home side put themselves further in front when Ayunga clashed with Mayo in the box leading referee Nick Walsh to point the spot. Idowu adopted a slow run up with a stutter before hitting the ball and he slid it into the back of the net to give the home side a two-goal advantage after only 10 minutes. Despite Killie having most of the possession they failed to capitalise on it. The second half kicked off to improved weather and from the whistle it would appear a better Killie team. However, this was short lived as in the 58th minute the home side went three ahead. A counterattack led to a corner which wasn’t dealt with by the Kille backline. The ball fell to the feet of Boyd-Munce who fired a powerful side foot shot past the keeper. The Saints then began to show their flare upon the hour mark as they began to control the possession of the game and play some good technical football. In the 65th minute the ball fell to Captain Mark O’Hara on the edge of the box. He brought the ball on to his right side and sent a fourth ball into the net of Killie. Only four minutes later the Hawaii Five-o tune blared across the stadium as Declan John received the ball on the left-hand side of the box and fired home the goal of the game with a venomous shot past McCrorie. In the 85th minute Killie were awarded a penalty after Joe Wright was brought down in the box. Anderson fired stopper Hemming but in reality, it was a conciliation goal from an afternoon to forget. After the game Assistant Manager Brian Kerr said; “I think the performance was excellent. I think it’s been coming to be honest. We’ve had real good performances over the last 7/8 weeks without the result to back that up”. A disappointed Derek McInnes said; “St Mirren were hands down smarter than us, more street wise than us and more clinical than us. They thoroughly deserved the three points today”. Killie now return home next Saturday to face off against Motherwell whereas St. Mirren travel up to face Dundee.

March 29, 2025

Celtic Punish St Mirren in Seven-Goal Thriller to Close in on Title

Celtic moved another step closer to retaining the Scottish Premiership title with a pulsating 5-2 victory over St Mirren in Paisley, extending their lead at the top of the table to 16 points. With just three more wins required to seal a fourth consecutive championship, Brendan Rodgers’ side could wrap up the title as early as the first week of April if they overcome Rangers and Hearts in their next two fixtures before heading to Perth to face St Johnstone. St Mirren, however, did not make it easy for the champions-elect, twice clawing their way back into the contest before Celtic’s superior squad depth proved decisive. A late brace from Yang Hyun-jun, either side of a fine Daizen Maeda strike, secured a hard-fought but ultimately emphatic victory for the visitors. Maeda, in sensational form, netted his 13th goal in 12 games, while Yang’s electric two-goal cameo will give Rodgers plenty to consider ahead of the upcoming title-defining fixtures. Celtic edged in front at the break thanks to Jeffrey Schlupp’s first goal for the club, clinically steering the ball inside the post, and an Arne Engels penalty. Sandwiched between was a stunning free-kick from St Mirren’s Declan John, a curling effort that left Kasper Schmeichel with no chance. The Celtic goalkeeper was called into action twice in quick succession before the interval, denying Toyosi Olusanya one-on-one and then reacting superbly to keep out a Mark O’Hara effort. The second half saw further drama as Ryan Alebiousu, having earlier conceded the penalty, redeemed himself by setting up Killian Phillips for a thunderous equaliser that bounced into the net beyond a helpless Schmeichel. However, Celtic’s bench ultimately made the difference. Yang’s introduction injected fresh energy and creativity, and his impact was instant. The South Korean winger assisted Maeda for a cool finish before adding two goals of his own to put the game beyond doubt. Substitute Luke McCowan also struck the post in a vibrant late spell for the visitors. St Mirren Show Fight but Fall Short Manager Stephen Robinson will take pride in his team’s effort despite the defeat. His side pressed Celtic aggressively, created several clear-cut chances, and forced Schmeichel into multiple fine saves. However, they will rue the needless penalty concession that gave Celtic a foothold in the match. Despite the loss, St Mirren remain well in the hunt for a top-six finish, with performances like this proving they are more than capable of competing with the league’s elite. Celtic’s Strength in Depth Shines Through For Rodgers’ side, this was another demonstration of their relentless pursuit of success. Even on a difficult surface and against a stubborn opponent, Celtic’s quality prevailed. Callum McGregor’s rare substitution did little to disrupt their rhythm, with McCowan adding energy and attacking intent. Jota and Yang further tipped the balance in Celtic’s favour, their introductions stretching St Mirren’s tiring defence. Schlupp will be buoyed by his first goal for the club, while Engels continues to impress in his debut season with his 10th goal of the campaign. With a Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian up next, followed by the crunch league showdown with Rangers, Celtic’s momentum remains firmly intact. What They Said St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: “I don’t think many teams press Celtic like that or create that many chances, but we didn’t take enough of them. That’s been the story of our season – we can’t afford a striker that gets 20 goals. There are very good aspects to that performance, but we want to come away with three points.” Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “I think it’s one of my favourite results of the season, coming to St Mirren, who have put in some really strong performances. It’s a brilliant three points for us. Our attacking play was excellent. On a difficult surface, the players were technically superb.”

March 1, 2025

SPFL Weekly: Five Talking Points

Rangers’ second-half performance saves Barry Ferguson’s embarrassment, Hibbies go 14 games unbeaten and Hearts move into top six. There was also a debut home win for new ‘Well boss Michael Wimmer, St Johnstone closes the gap at the bottom, and Celtic win emphatically in unconvincing display. Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 28 in the 2024/25 SPFL season. AvenGERS thrust into blockbuster action A heroic second-half performance saw the Light Blues come from two goals down to defeat Killie 4-2. The script replicated a typical superhero blockbuster with the protagonist struggling against a grave threat, only to overcome it in the picture’s second half. Cyriel Dessers was the hero who saved Barry Ferguson, the man chosen as Phillipe Clement’s successor on Monday. Dessers’ two decisive goals carried the Light Blues into the lead to give the interim manager his first SPFL victory. Throughout the first half, Ranger’s defence was terrorized by Kilmarnock’s front two, Bobby Wales and Marley Watkins, prompting Ferguson to make the bold decision to hook French centre-back Clinton Nsiala after just 30 minutes. A goal from Vaclav Cerny ten minutes before half-time gave them hope, and the team talk from boss Captain Hamilton must have helped rally the gang as his team put on a gritty and determined performance in the second half. A tired Kilmarnock ran out of steam as the game wore on, and the Glasgow side only grew in confidence. Ferguson’s team must continue to perform to close the 13-point gap on Celtic. Is there a Hollywood ending in sight, or is it too little or too late? All eyes will be on this weekend’s sequel as Motherwell visits Ibrox. Unbe-Leith-able! Hibs march on Hibernian extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches after late goals from Kieron Bowie and Junior Hoilett, which gave them a dramatic 3-1 victory at Tannadice. Their goals came after Dundee United had a second-half leader disallowed for handball in the second half following a lengthy VAR check. Jim Goodwin was incensed by the decision, but referee Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch agreed with the VAR’s decision that Sam Dalby headed the ball onto his arm. The positive vibes continue to build in Leith following the announcement that they have signed Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath on a pre-contract deal, and Hibs owner plans to make £7m donation to cover club losses. Wimmer feels at home Michael Wimmer experienced his first taste of victory on his Fir Park debut following his arrival last week. Attendance last night was at 4,258, and the home fans would have been excited to see how their new boss got their team playing. However, it was set pieces where they looked most dangerous. Defender Dan Casey scored the two goals to stop the Lanarkshire side’s rot, leading them to their first win in eight matches. The game also saw a landmark for ‘Well midfielder Callum Slattery, who made his 100th appearance for the Steelmen, with his first appearance coming against Annan Athletic just over four years ago. The visitors, Dundee, will now look over their shoulder as they have now lost five games in a row, leaving them three points off bottom spot. Jammin’ Jambos into top six Hearts fought a challenging game, coming from behind to beat St Mirren 3-1, which saw them leapfrog the Paisley side. Victory has taken them into the top six for the first time since August. 17-year-old James Wilson got the equaliser and won man of the match, amusingly posing post-match with a bottle of rum that his parents probably don’t want him drinking. The goal that put the Jambos ahead at Tynecastle was by Calem Nieuwenhof, who was making his first start in almost a year. Hearts manager Neil Critchley told BBC Sport after the game: “It was a really tough game. I didn’t think we were at our best, but we’re finding ways to win games. “We weren’t clean or efficient in our play. I wouldn’t say sloppiness but not our usual selves on the ball. But moments went for us, and we showed real grit and resilience.” Hearts now have eight wins in their last 10 in all competitions. Their next game? Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday. Saints close the gap St Johnstone’s 1-0 victory over top-six hopefuls Ross County significantly boosts their fight for Premiership survival. Only 3 points now separate them and Dundee, who are above them in the play-off relegation spot with 10 games left to play. Fans at McDiarmid Park will feel better about themselves after the win following back-to-back defeats. Mackenzie Kirk’s close-range finish was the decisive goal that, despite a slim scoreline, was a thoroughly deserved result. County ‘keeper Jordan Amissah put in an inspired performance to keep the Saints at bay and the scoreline respectable. Saints Manager Simo Valakari told BBC Sport about the importance of the result: “It was a big win. This match was our most must-win game for our hopes for the rest of the season.” “I’m most happy with how the players performed in this high-pressure game.” County came into this with four wins from their previous five away league games. Their fans were hopeful of the top six but now will have one eye on what’s happening behind them as they still are worryingly close to the relegation play-off spot.

February 27, 2025

SPFL Matchday 1: Five Talking Points

Rangers gave Philippe Clement his marching orders, Hibernian defeated a lethargic Celtic, there was no new manager bounce for Motherwell, and the cool-as-ice Kabangu kept Hearts ticking. Meanwhile, Ross County continued their push for the top six, and Aberdeen stave off capitulation with back-to-back wins. Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 27 in the 2024/25 SPFL season. Clement sacked – Who’s next? Rangers 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren was the straw that broke the camel’s back. A dismal showing at Ibrox sealed Philippe Clement’s fate in a week filled with speculation about a potential US-led takeover by San Francisco 49ers’ investors. His dismissal came just hours after our report last night, which anticipated the club’s official announcement. After the match, Clement apologised to the fans, telling BBC Sport: “I can only say sorry and apologise [to the Rangers fans] from me and the team. This is not what Rangers teams need to show on the pitch. We all know this was by far below the standards we all expect.” However, for Rangers supporters, it was too little, too late. Some even set up a JustGiving page to fund his rumoured £1.2 million compensation fee. During his 16-month tenure, Clement showed rare glimpses of promise, particularly in Europe, where Rangers secured automatic qualification for the Europa League round of 16. Yet, he struggled to translate those performances into domestic success, leaving the club 13 points adrift of league leaders Celtic. Attention now turns to his long-term successor, with former Everton boss Sean Dyche, ex-Rangers title-winning manager Steven Gerrard, club legend Barry Ferguson, and former Light Blues midfielder Gennaro Gattuso all linked. Ferguson has been announced by the club to manage until the end of the season. VAR controversy mars heroic Hibs performance The heat on VAR grows with Brendan Rodgers’ latest comments following Celtic’s 2-1 defeat to Hibernian. An equaliser for Celtic was ruled out in the second half after the VAR overruled the on-field officials. Their decision was that Alistair Johnston crossed the ball after it was out of play, with the linesman originally calling it in. Regarding the controversy, Rodgers told BBC Sport: “I was very disappointed we didn’t get that, especially when the linesman didn’t think it was out. He probably has the best view. “I don’t know how you can tell the ball is definitely out from an image from the 18-yard line. We need to see evidence the ball was out. If you don’t have that, you’re having a guess.” However, the debate surrounding the decision has unfairly overshadowed Hibernian’s outstanding and fully deserved performance. They fought with grit and determination to withstand Celtic’s attacks while capitalising on a fatigued Hoops defence in transition. A defining moment came when Rocky Bushiri heroically cleared the ball off the goal line following a surging run from Jota, sparking a deafening roar from the home crowd. By the final whistle, as Sunshine on Leith echoed around Easter Road, there could be no denying that Hibs had earned their moment of celebration. No new manager bounce for the ‘Well One could forgive the neutral fan who gave little thought to this fixture last weekend. However, there has been renewed interest following the appointment of Michael Wimmer as Motherwell’s manager. The German spoke about bringing “intensity, energy, and passion” to proceedings. Still, there was little evidence of this in the first half of a 1-0 defeat to Dundee United. Both sides came into the game in poor form, but the Tangerines struck first and stopped the Lanarkshire side from having a new manager bounce. The visitors did react positively in the second half but lacked the clinical edge to get back into the match. On the second-half performance, Wimmer told BBC Sport: “We can work with the second half. It was really good. It was aggressive, we had opportunities, and we played forward. That’s what we want to see.” The Steelmen are now on their joint longest losing streak in ten years and worryingly looking over their shoulders at the teams behind them in the table. Kabangu injection saves Hearts Nine years ago, the Perth club witnessed a bejewelled Elton John in a stellar concert at McDiarmid Park, singing hits such as Crocodile Rock and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This weekend, they saw another Elton dazzle before their eyes. Elton Kabangu, the January recruit from Hearts. The Belgian scored twice in a 2-1 away victory to see Hearts look towards the top six and European places. Putting aside last week’s disappointing home result to Rangers, where he failed to take his chances, he was a thorn in the Saints’ side throughout and put away two clinical finishes to take his toll up to six goals from seven games. Hearts boss Neil Crichtley told BBC Sport about his performance: “I’m delighted for Elton Kabangu to get two goals after his disappointment last week. He’s such a great personality to have at the training ground every day. I thought he was fantastic again.” The Saints are running out of games to turn things around, languishing six points adrift at the bottom of the table. Their manager, Simo Valakari, joined the club in October to do just that. With each passing game, that is looking increasingly less likely, and preparations for the Championship may lie ahead. Battle for top six Ross County is on an excellent run of form, with five wins from their last 9. Their only two defeats from that run came against the two Glasgow giants. They came from behind this weekend to beat Dundee 3-1. On the performance, Cowie told BBC Sport: “I was most pleased with how we responded to going behind, we were not spooked by it and deservedly got back in the game at 1-1. “We came out the traps flying after half-time and scored two goals. A fantastic win, and it keeps the momentum going.” The man from Inverness has given the Dingwall fans hope, as the club is only two points off the

February 24, 2025

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

Watt’s late winner in Paisley ends Motherwell slump

St Mirren 0 – 1 Motherwell Motherwell ended their three game winless run when Tony Watt’s added time winner punished St Mirren’s ill discipline. The striker used his experience to get away from his marker and catch a Lennon Miller free-kick to break hearts in Paisley after Alex Gogic was sent off. Ellery Balcombe’s fine save denied Jair Tavares early on, tipping the shot onto the crossbar. Not long after Aston Oxborough denied Conor McMenamin with an almost identical stop. The keeper denied the Northern Ireland international once again in the second half to ensure a clean sheet for his side. Both sides continued to push but Balcombe was on hand to deny Steve Seddon and Aspostolos Stamatelopoulos before the deadlock was finally broken. Discipline cost of the Saints when Gogic was given his marching orders after his dismissal with just minutes to go. The result means Motherwell open up a four point gap on the home side, sitting in fifth and seventh respectively. Attendance: 6,111 Line-ups: St Mirren: E. Balcombe, R. Taylor, A. Gogic, M. Fraser, S. Tanser, M. O’Hara, K. Phillips, E. Bwomono (J. Ayunga 84′), G. Kiltie (R. Idowu 67′), T. Olusanya (M. Mandron 68′), C. McMenamin Substitutes: J. Ayunga, C. Boyd-Munce, A. Iacovitti, R. Idowu, D. John, M. Mandron, E. Mooney, O. Smyth, P. Urminsky Motherwell: A. Oxborough, S. Blaney, L. Gordon, D. Casey, S. Seddon, E. Wilson (H. Paton), A. Halliday (S. Nicholson 83′), Jair Tavares (M. Kaleta 77′), L. Miller, A. Stamatelopoulos (M. Ebiye ’77), T. Watt Substitutes: K. Balmer, E. Ebiye, K. Hegyi, M. Kaleta, T. Maswanhise, S. Nicholson, S. O’Donnell, H. Paton, D. Zdravkoski

December 7, 2024

Dundee United Continue Their Unbeaten Away Form with a 1-0 Victory Over St Mirren

It only took 53 seconds for this game to burst into life. A free kick whipped in by Mark O’Hara resulted in an acrobatic effort from centre half Richard Taylor flying over the bar. This was the start of a frantic first 10 minutes with the St Mirren defence, in particular, Charles Dunne standing resolute after several crosses from Will Ferry. This would become a familiar feature in the half. The pace and trickery of Toyosi Olusanya and Roland Idowu caused issues for the Dundee United defence with two penalty claims from the former being waved away by referee Ross Hardie. The home side were urged on by their manager on the touchline to quicken play up, but it wasn’t long before loose kicks from Balcombe and slack play in the middle of the park had the Paisley fans disgruntled in the stands, this followed by ex-Saints manager Jim Goodwin throwing the ball away made for a tense atmosphere at the SMISA stadium. Killian Phillips continued to impress in the black and white with some strong challenges and efforts on goal but ultimately couldn’t break the deadlock. After 20 minutes, the away side should have been 1-0 up. A free kick was fired in by Will Ferry and met by a free Adegboyega, but the defender scuffs his shot, and the ball is eventually cleared by Charles Dunne. Ross Docherty shows he hasn’t lost it with some nice footwork and switches of play in the middle of the park. United used him wisely in building attacks, with the home side standing firm. Saints grew into the game with Idowu dancing though the Tangerine’s defence before playing a 1-2 with Olusanya but his effort trickles wide of the post. An end-to- end encounter resulted in tensions spilling over on the touchline with words exchanged between both bosses. As the home side got to grips with the game, Goodwin made a tactical change with striker Jorte Van Der Sande coming off and replaced with winger Glenn Middleton. The change in formation meant they went toe-to-toe with the home side. This seemed to suit St Mirren as they built a few promising attacks but further efforts from Olusanya were sent over the bar. Before the half time whistle a long throw from Ross Graham led to a stramash in the box before a shot from a tangerine shirt flew wide of the Saints goal. The first save of the game came from Walton after an effort from Killian Phillips, seconds before the half time whistle. Half Time: St Mirren 0-0 Dundee United Dundee United started the half brightly with a couple of half chances and it wasn’t long before the United fans were up in arms with a claim for handball in the 49 th minute but this was checked and cleared by VAR before play continued. The restlessness in the stands continued as a slack pass from O’Hara broke down what looked like a promising Saints attack. The home side struggled to find a rhythm after the break, and it was wave after wave of attack from their opponents who were being rallied on by the 1000 strong away support. A sight Jim Goodwin didn’t want to see was the injury to experienced centre back Ross Graham who had to be substituted with a suspected hamstring injury. His replacement Kevin Holt was welcomed warmly with his name ringing around the away stand. Eventually a bit of quality came from the home side just before the hour mark. The ball was picked up by Boyd-Munce at the edge of the box before he rifled a shot destined for the top corner if not for an outstanding save from Jack Walton. This looked like it could have been a momentum shifter for St Mirren but instead Dundee United broke straight away and this time it was Balcombe who collected the ball after a tame effort from Liverpool-loanee Luca Stephenson. The home side started to live dangerously with the ever-present Marcus Fraser keeping Middleton at bay and it wasn’t long before Robinson made his first changes of the match. The returning Greg Kiltie comes on for Kevin Van Veen as does James Scott for Roland Idowu after 65 minutes. This resulted in a slight shift in formation from a narrow 4-4-2 to a more direct 4-3- 3. The changes seemed to ignite St Mirren for a spell and Killian Phillips left 2 United defenders toiling after some superb footwork before his effort flashes over the bar. Kiltie, a bright spark in this disappointing Saints performance put the Dundee United defence under pressure with his relentless running. This resulted in a corner which was swung in by his captain Mark O’Hara before meeting the head of Phillips who directs the ball across goal to Olusanya but the Saints man couldn’t find the target. It was then Goodwin’s turn to try and shift the momentum back in his side’s favour, youngster Luca Stephenson was replaced by academy graduate Miller Thomson and minutes later the away side took the lead. Pandemonium in the away stand followed as a corner was swung in and fell to Docherty at the edge of the box. His volleyed effort stings the palms of Balcombe before the goalkeeper parries it into the path of the onrushing Adegboyega who reacts quickest to head the Jim. Goodwin’s men in front. As the home side try to turn the tide, at 80 minutes Robinson throws on Bwomono, Mandron and minutes later, Smyth as his last roll of the dice in the search for an equaliser. It was here where the Saints started knocking at the door of the United defence as a header from O’Hara was punched away by Walton and a similar effort as his goal last week ends up over the bar from Phillips. Ultimately, the goal killed any momentum St Mirren had built up but Smyth looked bright in trying to create something in the final few minutes, but Kevin Holt and

October 5, 2024