It’s home sweet home once again for Saints
MIRREN MATCHES AS THEY WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME
St Mirren............1
Dumbarton ........0 St Mirren made it three home wins in a row with a scrappy victory over Dumbarton on Saturday.
Lawrence Shankland’s second-half strike proved to be the winner in a game which the visitors failed to ever trouble the hosts.
Saints welcomed Jim Goodwin back to the squad for Saturday’s clash, while Andy Webster was restored to the starting line-up. Scott Agnew came in at the expense of the suspended Stevie Mallan, and Kyle McAllister replaced the injured Alex Cooper to make his first start for the club.
The game got off to a drab start, with both sides unable to carve out a clearcut opportunity at either end.
Shankland and David Clarkson both had speculative efforts, but nothing that would worry Dumbarton keeper Mark Brown.
Debutant McAllister came close to getting his first-team career off to a dream start in the 18th minute but will have been disappointed to have smashed his drive into the side netting.
The game started to open up as the half wore on, with both sides spurning opportunities to open the scoring in the space of the 22nd minute.
Sons’ makeshift striker Jordan Kirkpatrick, playing up top due to an injury crisis, curled an effort straight into the palms of St Mirren stopper Jamie Langfield.
The keeper’s quick thinking sparked a counter attack which ended with Clarkson firing just wide of the goal.
Eventual goal hero Shankland should have then fired Saints ahead following a McAllister cross ball, but the on-loan man could only manage to fire straight at Brown before the ball was cleared behind for a corner kick.
Scott Agnew’s resultant set piece found itself in the back of the net, only for referee John Beaton to pull play back for holding in the box.
Former Dumbarton man Agnew would go close yet again the 37th minute but he could only watch on as his daisycutter smashed against the advertising hoardings just wide of the goalposts.
The second half got off to a slow start as both sides struggled to get into gear yet again.
Midfielder Rocco Quinn scuffed wide an effort as Saints looked to find the opener - and the fans’ patience was finally to be rewarded just after the hour mark.
Shankland and Clarkson partnered up, with the pair exchanging a neat one-two, allowing Shankland enough time and space to rattle the ball beyond Brown from eight yards and hand Saints the lead.
The goal appeared to spur the Buddies on, and it could have been 2-0 moments later had Clarkson not fluffed his lines with an effort at the backpost.
Agnew then had another opportunity to sink his former teammates with a volley from the edge of the box, but again he was unable to trouble the goalkeeper.
Despite falling behind, Dumbarton weren’t for giving up.
On- loan Rangers kid Tom Walsh showed a brief glimpse of skill to twist his marker, but his curled effort wound up harmlessly wide of the goal.
Shankland’s effort had delighted the home support, but there was to be an even bigger ovation as the crowd celebrated the return of Jim Goodwin.
The midfielder was to be a 77th minute replacement for Agnew, and was soon in the thick of the action as normal service was resumed with Goodwin throwing himself into challenges.
In the end one goal would have to do it for St Mirren, and it proved to be the vital difference as the Buddies keep up the pressure on the final play-off spot.