Steelmen prove too strong for Buddies
Shot-shy Saints sink to second home defeat in a row
Premiership, September 14, 2013
St Mirren............0 Motherwell ........1
Saints were left to rue a single lapse of concentration as they were condemned to their second consecutive home league defeat against Motherwell.
Former Buddie nodded home in the first half to give Stuart McCall’s men all three points on Saturday as shotshy Saints succumbed to yet another loss.
With only one point from their first opening games, Danny Lennon sought a resolution to his side’s ill-form after a two-week break.
His recipe for improvement cooked up a change in formation, with McAusland, Goodwin and McGregor making up an unfamiliar back-three. The five- man midfield saw Danny
Grainger occupy a more advanced position on the left.
Thompson and Bahoken was the forward partnership that Lennon hoped would bring goals.
Despite creating a number of openings, the fact that Hollis, in the Motherwell goal, was never truly tested illustrated Saints lack of cutting edge in the final third.
The Buddies started the match in lively fashion – Thompson heading wide less than a minute in.
That proved to be a preface for much of Saints attacking play in the first-half – good movement down the right wing before swinging crosses into the box.
Another Thompson header came close again for Saints, this time zipping his effort wide at the front post, before Newton sliced wide.
Up the other end, both Carswell and Anier fired high and wide, as both sides enjoyed decent spells of possession.
But it was on the half- hour mark that the game really came to life. Neat play on the right saw Teale thread a through ball to the on-running Newton. The midfielder picked the ball up and knocked it past an outstretching Keith Lasley on the edge of the visitor’s box.
Referee Craig Thompson instantly pointed to the spot as his linesman also ran to the corner flag to signal.
However, after a brief correspondence between the two, in the wake of vigorous ‘ Well protest, the pair changed their minds and Saints were awarded a freekick two- yards outside the 18- yard box.
Despite the initial foul looking like it took place outside the box, the knee-jerk reaction of both officials in awarding the penalty prior to their change of heart made the revoke somewhat curious.
It was a bizarre injustice the Buddies were left to rue on 37 minutes, when the ever-threatening Sutton broke the deadlock.
Quick feet from the impressive Francis-Angol allowed the left-back to stand a cross to the back post. The Saints defence failed to deal with the threat, as Sutton reached onto it to head beneath the squirming Cornell for 0-1.
DJ Phil’s choice of I Need A Hero for half-time music seemed fitting for Saints. The second-half proved the need for a striker as a more pressing concern.
Despite McGowan stinging the palms of Hollis 15- minutes into the half, St Mirren looked entirely toothless, not managing a single other attempt on target.
When Saints broke character from Danny Lennon’s passing philosophy, the resultant high balls from the back proved all too routine for Hutchinson and McManus in the heart of the ’ Well defence.
When one finally did work, in the 90th minute, substitute Thomas Reilly aimed a cross to McLean unmarked at the back post, but the midfielder failed to connect.
An almighty goal-mouth scramble in injury time offered Saints a final chance, but, as has become the norm, no shot prevailed and ’ Well left with all three points.