Saints back down to Earth with a bump

Accies’ blunt-force tactic pays off

Craig Ritchie

There had been a feel-good factor in Paisley for the first time in what had felt like an eternity in the run up to Saturday’s game.

But just as everything was starting to look positive for St Mirren, it all came crashing back down.

It’s not an easy life being a Saints supporter, and this year has proven that yet again.

But Saturday’s loss was every bit as tough to take as anything that had come before it.

Some will point their finger at referee Kevin Clancy, others will turn up their nose at Hamilton Accies’ blunt- force, trauma tactic that continues to wreak havoc.

Ultimately, it was another afternoon of disappointment where Saints shot themselves in the foot, with a combination of slack marking and not taking their chances when they got them.

First-half efforts from Dougie Imrie and Ziggy Gordon left Saints with a mountain to climb.

Although skipper Stephen McGinn handed the Buddies an unlikely lifeline on the stroke of half- time, James Keatings’ first goal in the Premiership was enough to knock the stuffing out a seemingly resurgent St Mirren in the second half.

It was another tough afternoon for the Saints, who had been hopeful of recording back- to- back league victories for the first time since March.

Oran Kearney elected to stick with the same starting XI who defeated Hearts the previous weekend, with Jack Baird favoured to Anton Ferdinand, despite the centre back’s return from a hamstring injury.

Up against a shot-shy Hamilton, Saints looked to take the visitors inside the opening 10 minutes.

The Buddies looked in control, for the most part, without ever really threatening Jan Mucha in the Accies goal as they struggled to make their early dominance pay.

Half chances fell to Kyle Magennis and Paul McGinn, with the latter forcing a corner. But the Paisley side’s lack of cutting edge would quickly come back to bite them as Accies took a stranglehold of proceedings.

Hamilton’s opener arrived after 21 minutes, with slack marking proving to be the downfall of the Saints defence as former Buddie, Imrie returned to his former stomping ground in fine fashion.

The winger, the smallest man on the pitch, managed to wriggle free from his marker before glancing home a Keatings’ corner beyond Ethan Erhahon on the far post.

Saints’ poor showing wasn’t lost on Kearney as the gaffer showed his hand early on and axed Ian McShane for Ryan Edwards after just half an hour.

Stubborn Accies defence, however, still managed to reduce Saints to half chances in and around the box, with Adam Hammill showing shades of the previous week with some tricky footwork, albeit without creating a clear path to goal.

Paul McGinn’s header wider of target gave Saints brief hope – but it would be up to the visitors to find the second goal of the game.

Slack defence again proved to be the Buddies’ downfall, with Gordon this time the man to break free from his marker and prod home a Keatings’ free kick beyond Danny Rogers on 42 minutes.

It took that second goal to finally spark Saints back into life, with Hammill having a strike deflected just wide of goal straight from the restart.

But Saints’ efforts were finally rewarded on the stroke of half-time