It’s grim up north
Another Highland humbling for stuttering Saints
Ross County ......... 3
St Mirren .............. 0
St Mirren’s Highland hoodoo returned as they were well beaten by The Staggies at the Global Energy Stadium.
Former Buddies midfielder Richard Brittain plunged the dagger with a deadly double after Stuart Kettlewell’s ninth-minute opener.
Defeat meant a second long journey home from the north in the space of just three SPFL matches following Saints’ opening day defeat to Inverness by the same scoreline.
Boss Lennon kept faith with the same starting 11 that earned a point against Kilmarnock in their last league outing and that meant makeshift right-back Darren McGregor retained his place in the side.
Saints had been full of optimism beforehand as Ross County had lost all three of their SPFL matches so far this season but it was the home side who posed the early problems.
Saints keeper David Cornell was called into action early on as he collected an effort from Brittain after the former Paisley star picked up Ross Quinn’s pass.
Only moments later, Cornell was once again on hand to deny Brittain with a save as County sought that opening goal.
Saints looked industrious and business-like in the opening exchanges, moving the ball around confidently but their good work was about to come undone.
After nine minutes, Buddies midfielder Paul McGowan lost possession in a vulnerable area and Kettlewell capitalised to the full as the County man arrowed a lovely shot into the top left-hand corner for 1-0.
Saints sought a rapid response to this early setback and Conor Newton tried his luck with a shot from distance, before Gary Teale tried to pick out Kenny McLean in an advanced position but, on both occasions, County goalkeeper Mark Brown remained untroubled.
The visitors were dealt another sucker punch when referee Calum Murray pointed to the penalty spot after Quinn took a tumble as he jostled with Marc McAusland.
Up stepped Brittain with the spot-kick and, while Cornell saved the penalty, Brittain was quick to react and bury home the rebound for 2-0.
Back came St Mirren and, once again, Teale was on hand with one of his trademark crosses into the dangerzone.
On this occasion, it found McLean but the young midfielder was also up against keeper Brown in great form, as the County number one made a brave block to deny him.
Before the break, midfielder Gary Harkins took it upon himself to attempt a solo effort but his efforts were also thwarted by Brown between the sticks.
Then Teale combined with striker Steven Thompson but – not for the first time – Brown was there to stand firm and take the resultant header at goal.
Another former Saint, Graham Carey, threatened early in the second half with a wicked corner but McGregor was there to knock the danger clear.
County were cursing keeper Cornell after 56 minutes as Luckassen looked odds-on to extend the lead.
He only had the keeper to beat but the on-loan Swansea City star pulled off an excellent save to keep the gap between the sides to just two goals.
But any hopes of a comeback were extinguished a minute or so later as Brittain bagged his second of the afternoon when his low shot sailed home from the edge of the penalty box.
Skipper Jim Goodwin and Thompson both saw efforts to reduce the deficit go abegging but ultimately could do nothing to rescue something from the game for Saints.