MULLEN HAS THE FINAL SAY
Saints striker puts Killie to sword in shoot-out
NO matter how comprehensive the manner of a side’s promotion to the top flight may be, there are inevitably many lingering doubts as to their ability to cope with the step-up in class.
This opening Betfred Cup match won’t, in itself, dispel every such negative thought from the collective mindset of the St Mirren players but it was pretty much the most solid foundation Alan Stubbs could have wished for in his first night in the job.
On their opening excursion as a Premiership club in three years, St Mirren looked sharp, hungry and emboldened. Nor did they display any of the naivety which can kill sides in their position.
It may be three weeks before the real business of the league starts but for the sizeable support which travelled down from Paisley last night, this was a highly encouraging first impression against a Killie side which were reborn under Steve Clarke last term.
Frankly, they were richly deserving of the bonus point they gained courtesy of the penalty shoot-out.
Danny Mullen edged it 3-2 for Saints after Lee Erwin, Gary Dicker and Kirk Broadfoot had made hashes of theirs for the home side and Stephen McGinn and Jeff King had missed for the visitors.
This time last year, both Inverness and Hearts bit the dust at this stage of the Betfred Cup as a result of failing to hit the ground running. The lesson, then, for both these sides was clear.
With the exception of Ross Millen, who only signed from Queen’s Park yesterday, Killie’s side had a familiar look to it.
Despite signing a raft of players since taking charge, Saints boss Stubbs introduced just three of them — Paul McGinn, Hayden Coulson and Cole Kpekawa — all along his back-line.
The Premiership new boys certainly didn’t start like a side harbouring an inferiority complex but that solid foundation was almost undone by an untimely lapse by Jack Baird after 13 minutes. Dragged out to the flank, he showed Jordan Jones too much of the ball and was quickly involved in a foot race he was never going to win.
The Kilmarnock winger’s cutback allowed Erwin to drill the ball low towards goal where only Craig Samson’s outstretched leg prevented him opening his account for the season.
Shaping with a 4-1-4-1, with skipper McGinn the anchor, the Buddies had both width and craft. One excellent cross from the right by Ryan Flynn took out Killie’s central defence but, alas, had marginally too much pace for the outstretched Mullen.
The display of the Paisley side in the opening exchanges encouraged their raucous support. One surging run by Coulson ended with Calum Waters only half clearing his lines. Cammy Smith drilled the ball into the turf only to see it bounce back up and onto the face of the crossbar. But Saints were enjoying the occasion.
Jordan Kirkpatrick epitomised their growing confidence with a mazy run that began on the right touchline and ended with him narrowly missing the far corner with a rising strike.
Kilmarnock were not without their moments. Dicker’s ball to Eamonn Brophy gave the striker his first sniff at goal. Baird’s touch-tight pressure on the striker was enough to see him fire just over.
But Stubbs was entitled to feel aggrieved that his side went up the tunnel level. Smith’s excellent pass to pick out Kirkpatrick gave the midfielder a clear sight of Jamie MacDonald’s goal. It was a chance he had to take but he pulled it beyond the far post.
The concession of a cheap foul by Rory McKenzie on Flynn six minutes after the break afforded Saints another gilt-edged chance. Kirkpatrick’s free-kick evaded the wall only to go just beyond MacDonald’s far post.
At the other end, Brophy fired across goal and had a header saved. Searching for the three points, Stubbs threw on James Kellerman, Cody Cooke and Jeff King with Chris Burke introduced seven minutes from the end by Clarke.
Ndjoli almost took advantage of tiredness in Saints’ defence with a low, scuffed shot which briefly worried Samson.
And so to penalties, with Saints eventually earning the bonus point, secured by Mullen’s cool finish from the spot. KILMARNOCK (4-4-2): MacDonald; Millen, Broadfoot, Findlay, Waters; McKenzie (Kiltie 69), Dicker, Power, Jones (Burke 84); Erwin, Brophy (Ndjoli 70). Subs not used: MacKay, Higgins, Thomas, Frizzell. Booked: Findlay.
ST MIRREN (4-1-4-1): Samson; P McGinn, Baird, Kpekawa, Coulson; S McGinn; MacPherson, Flynn (Kellerman 81), Kirkpatrick (King 55), Smith (Cooke 80); Mullen. Subs not used: Rogers, Heaton, Stewart, MacKenzie. Booked: None. Referee: Steven McLean.