Better late than never for Saints
MIRREN MATCHES AS THEY WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME
Stevie Mallan’s injury time wonder strike sealed victory over Motherwell in an incidentpacked Premiership affair in Paisley.
The Steelmen took the lead through John Sutton’s controversial penalty after 75 minutes.
But in the 86th minute Jason Naismith saw his attempt at goal turned into his own net by Mark O’Brien for the equaliser.
Motherwell were reduced to 10 men after 89 minutes when Scott McDonald saw red for an incident with Thomas Reilly.
And Saints made their numerical advantage count six minutes into time added on with Mallan’s fantastic rightfooted shot from fully 30 yards.
Early on, Sean Kelly passed up a great opportunity when Mallan’s free-kick came into the dangerzone. Jack Baird couldn’t reach it and it fell invitingly for the centre half, but Kelly contrived to pull it wide from six yards.
And Mallan tried his luck with an ambitious effort from distance when nothing else looked on, but it was never going to trouble George Long in the Motherwell goal.
Just beyond the midway point
Connor Grant slashed a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box after Marvin Johnson’s corner was only partially cleared by the Saints defence.
Moments later Alan Gow squandered the best chance of the match, bursting clear through the middle but placing a shot wide of the post.
Midfield man Johnston worked his way into the Saints box before unleashing a left-foot shot that Kello easily gathered, before Erwin saw an effort in the box blocked by Kello after Johnson picked him out.
Before the interval Baird managed to block a McDonald shot at goal as the match was finely poised.
Three minutes after the break Grant sent a downward header into the arms of Kello after patient build-up from the Steelmen.
Then winger Wylde sent a wayward effort high and wide after Gow played a precision crossfield pass from Baird’s defensive clearance.
At the other end, Johnson saw a deflected effort land in the grateful arms of Kello after the left-sided ace picked up McDonald’s pass.
Kello blocked a driven angled effort from McDonald after the Aussie striker took Ewrin’s backward pass, before Baird cut out a decent shot at goal from Johnson.
Kieran Sadlier replaced Wylde after 65 minutes in St Mirren’s first personnel change of the afternoon.
After 68 minutes Motherwell centreback McManus was cautioned for a reckless tackle on Gow, and the stricken Saints player had to be stretchered off moments later.
Sub Sutton saw a low angled effort zip wide of the post, before Motherwell won a penalty kick after a period of sustained pressure as Erwin went down under a Reilly challenge.
Up stepped Sutton to send Kello the wrong way and make it 1-0.
Lionel Ainsworth’s free-kick evaded both Erwin and Sutton in the box, and had one of them got a touch, it almost certainly would have been 2-0 to the ‘Well.
Saints, though, drew level with six minutes remaining when magnificent Mallan’s crossfield pass found Naismith at the byline. The right-back somehow got a touch to it and although it looped over Long, O’Brien contrived to knock it into his own net.
Skipper Thompson went off three minutes from time in what could be his last appearance in Paisley as a Saint, Yoann Arquin coming on in his place.
Striker McDonald was then red-carded for a bad challenge on Reilly with half a minute to go.
There were seven minutes of added time before the end of a compelling fixture between these two sides.
Sadlier rifled a reflected right-foot shot wide for a corner after Arquin played him in, before Mallan saved the best for last six minutes into time added on, controlling possession from Morgan’s pass then unleashing a wonderful rightfoot effort from fully 30 yards into the top left-hand corner.