Saints school Livi but it’s kids’ play for bosses
ST MIRREN stormed back to the top of the Championship with a stunning second half performance.
But the win was punctuated by a touchline spat between the two managers when Jack Ross ran across to David Hopkin’s technical area and over-celebrated the second goal.
Hopkin said it was embarrassing schoolboy stuff from Ross, but the Saints boss was entitled to be excited and admitted he over-stepped the mark.
Dale Carrick had put Hopkin’s side ahead in 30 minutes but Lewis Morgan levelled then Adam Eckersley’s shot deflected off Jackson Longridge into net before an Ian McShane penalty sealed it.
It was a win they deserved i n terms of chanced of possession but they also showed character to come back from a goal down.
David Hopkin’s side is nothing if not resilient and they stunned the Paisley public by taking the lead in 30 minutes.
Keaghan Jacobs hit a free kick to the right side of the box that was headed back across goal by Gallagher.
Josh Mullin was there first and hit an early left foot shot that Craig Samson could not hold and Carrick reacted quickest to slam home the rebound.
It may have been against the run of play but the West Lothian side again proved what tough characters they are.
However, Hopkin’s men enjoyed an incredible stroke of luck three minutes before half-time.
Alexander was caught out by Adam Eckersley’s cross from the left which he thought was drifting over the bar but it dropped behind him, hit the right post then his heel and was quickly cleared by Jackson Longridge just before Smith got there.
St Mirren’s imagination from corner had been lacking with Morgan and McShane all too often not getting past the first defender.
However, when Morgan mixed things up in 51 minutes it paid off royally.
He worked a short corner with Liam Smith on the right, then burst into the box to fire a left foot shot that Alexander could not prevent from going into the left corner.
Then Morgan was involved in again as Saints grabbed the second goal they so badly wanted in 67 minutes.
He drove in from the left side and was thinking about a shot when Eckersley nicked it off his toe burst forward to slam a left foot shot that seemed to hit Gallagher and them Longridge before creeping into the net at the left post,
Jack Ross put his finger to his lips and it was a bit too exuberant for Hopkin who confronted the Saints boss and the two were warned by referee Gavin Duncan
Then with 12 minutes to go St Mirren made certain of victory when they won a penalty after Jack Baird was tripped by Alan Lithgow and McShane made no mistake from the spot.
Remarkably it was the first home win ever in the 13 meetings between the two sides and Saints will be desperate to go on a winning run now to stay top.