Flashback

It may have been a goalless stalemate but when St Mirren took on Hamilton at the tail-end of the 2010 campaign, there were talking points aplenty.

And frontman Saints Michael Higdon seemed to be at the heart of most of them.

Not only did he miss no fewer than four good chances at New Douglas Park, he was booked for a fiery tussle with Accies skipper Alex Neil.

Within moments it was Hamilton that could have taken the lead when Marco Paixao saw a wonderful 35-yard volley crash against the underside of the crossbar and – according to television replays – had crossed the line with little more than three minutes on the clock.

Dougie Imrie had a penalty appeal turned down as Accies had the better of the first half, but the tide turned after the break as Higdon failed to net on four separate occasions.

The result denied Hamilton a fifth straight win but it did mathematically ensure Saints’ survival.

With his side having all but secured their SPL status, Saints boss Gus MacPherson also recalled Lee Mair, Garry Brady and striker Higdon.

The visitors went close in the 15th minute when Billy Mehmet’s flick-on was volleyed just wide from an unfavourable angle by Stephen O’Donnell.

Then came that flare up between

Neil and Higdon.

Both were booked for squaring up after the latter cynically chopped down the Accies captain.

Imrie twice screamed in vain for penalties just past the half-hour mark, the second appeal following what appeared a clumsy tackle from Buddies captain John Potter.

Both were waved away by referee Iain Brines, but the official soon awarded Hamilton a free-kick on the edge of the box, which Martin Canning headed wide from Paixao’s dangerous delivery.

Higdon then missed three great chances to give St Mirren the lead in.

First, he nodded Graham Carey’s corner against the post.

Then, after outmuscling two defenders, he saw Sean Murdoch fail to keep out his low finish before being rescued by Mark McLauglin’s goalline clearance.

Finally, he bulleted a header too close to the keeper from Carey’s excellent cross.

With less than 15 minutes remaining, Higdon failed to capitalise on another great chance, with Carey again the provider.

The full-back’s first-time volleyed cross dipped perfectly for the striker six yards out, but the former Falkirk man was unable to control it.