Victorious end for super Saints
WITH FOOTBALL IN COLD STORAGE WE TAKE A LOOK AT OLD ST
Paul Behan
Goals from John McGinn, Paul McGowan and Conor Newton secured St Mirren’s first SPL away win of 2013 and helped them sign off the season on a high note.
McGinn opened the scoring after 19 minutes but former Rangers striker Kris Boyd levelled matters six minutes later.
Midfielder McGowan made it 2-1 after 75 minutes from the penalty spot when debut boy Anton Brady took a tumble in the box.
And Newton capped a welcome win with the third goal two minutes from time.
There were three changes to the starting 11, with Dougie Imrie, John Robertson and Gary Teale making way for Kenny McLean, McGinn and fit-again McGowan.
Midfielder McLean attempted an ambitious scissors-kick shot from the edge of the box after he connected with a McGinn corner on the left hand side but it flew harmlessly wide of target.
Saints took a dramatic lead after 19 minutes – and it was a first senior goal for midfielder McGinn.
David van Zanten and Newton combined well on the right hand side and it was Geordie ace Newton who fired an angled cross to the back post where McGinn stabbed home with a left-footed volley.
Kilmarnock, though, drew level after 25 minutes when Boyd outpaced the Saints’ defence after racing on to Borja Perez’s pass and slot a right foot shot beyond Craig Samson from 16 yards.
Killie won a free-kick 25 yards out in a central position after Jim Goodwin was penalised for a foul on midfielder Chris Johnston.
Sammy Clingan saw his shot strike the Saints wall and Cillian Sheridan did likewise from the rebound.
Right-back van Zanten took a tumble when he challenged keeper Cammy Bell for a McGowan cross ball into the danger-zone but referee Willie Collum saw nothing untoward.
And midfielder McGowan tried his luck with a shot from distance but keeper Bell remained untroubled.
After 53 minutes, Newton saw a right foot shot in the box touched over for a corner but the home defence held firm from the resultant set piece.
Forward Brady replaced Goncalves after 55 minutes, the young striker making his Saints top team debut, with the man he replaced probably making his final appearance for the club.
Forward Parkin, in his last ever match for St Mirren, glanced wide a van Zanten cross from the right hand side.
Then centre-back Mark O’Hara saw a shot deflect off Goodwin and drift wide for a corner, before Boyd headed wide the resultant cross from Johnston.
After 74 minutes, youngster Brady won Saints a spot kick when he went to ground under a Lee Ashcroft challenge in the box.
Up stepped McGowan to fire powerfully into the right hand corner of the net for 2-1.
There was yet another top team debut,
this time Mo Yaqub replacing McGowan after 86 minutes.
Sub Yaqub almost made himself an instant hero, sending a Newton cross from the right just over target from 12 yards. Newton put a gloss on the victory, waltzing past three Killie players before poking a shot beyond Bell after 88 minutes.