No end to losing streak for Buddies
WITH FOOTBALL IN COLD STORAGE WE TAKE A LOOK AT OLD ST
St Johnstone...........2 St Mirren.................0
St Mirren’s losing streak in the SPFL Premiership extended to three matches with this loss in the Fair City.
Murray Davidson headed the Perth Saints into the lead, before Stevie May wrapped up the win after 73 minutes with a turn and strike from the edge of the box.
Marian Kello was a surprise omission between the sticks for St Mirren, Frenchman Chris Dilo returning to goalkeeping duties.
And skipper Jim Goodwin returned to action, while fellow midfielder John McGinn sat out a one-match ban.
Stephane Bahoken was named on a shorthanded St Mirren bench, the French striker back to complete his season- long loan deal after Saints failed in their bid to offload him back to parent club Nice.
Perth midfielder David Wotherspoon saw an early attempt deflect behind for a corner but the home side couldn’t capitalise from the set piece.
Four minutes later, keeper Dilo parried a distance effort from Wotherspoon behind for another corner but, again, the visiting defence held firm.
After 10 minutes, the St Mirren goal lived a charmed life following a good move involving May, Davidson and Nigel Hasselbaink on the right hand side.
The ball was eventually worked towards the box, where May’s effort struck the crossbar on its way over.
Left-back Danny Grainger picked up a booking for one foul too many after 22 minutes, before the Perth Saints passed up a great chance to score after 24 minutes, when May’s reverse pass found Hasselbaink and the little Dutchman got the better of Jason Naismith before drilling a low shot wide of the left hand post.
Keeper Dilo was forced into action after 27 minutes to get a hand to a May angled effort after the young striker picked up a Wotherspoon pass in the penalty box.
St Mirren, until this point, had created no chances of note and they needed something to change in order to kick-start their afternoon.
St Johnstone’s Alan Mannus had to look lively to take a Naismith low cross before Adam Campbell could pounce and that was about as close to a chance as the visitors created.
After 33 minutes, Goodwin was spoken to by ref Calum Murray for a foul on Davidson and the home side won a free kick 30 yards out in a central position.
Up stepped St Johnstone skipper Dave Mackay to strike a right foot shot off the junction of the crossbar and post.
Goodwin was penalised again, this time for a foul on Hasselbaink, and the home side won a free-kick 25 yards out on the left side.
Wotherspoon flighted it in, it took a deflection and Gary McDonald tapped it wide at the back post.
For St Mirren, midfielder Paul McGowan picked up a stay ball before the break and fired a right foot shot well wide of Mannus’ right hand post.
In the second 45, Hasselbaink fired straight at Dilo as the Perth side continued where they left off.
After 62 minutes, Hasselbaink saw an effort blocked by Dilo, before Gary McDonald sclaffed the rebound.
McDonald won the Perth Saints a free kick at the expense of Goodwin 25 yards out and a chance to test Dilo.
Up stepped Mackay to send a shot high over target.
Goodwin trod on thin ice for yet another foul, this time on May – his second foul after already being cautioned.
The Perth Saints took the lead after 70 minutes when a Wotherspoon corner on the left was played in, Dilo got a touch to it but Davidson was on hand to net from close range.
And May wrapped up the win with a sensational turn and angled shot after 73 minutes, firing a lovely flighted right footer over Dilo and into the right hand corner, via the post.
Into time added on, Bahoken saw a couple of efforts from close range blocked by Mannus and that’s the only crumb of comfort there was from a disappointing afternoon in Perthshire.