STATS NOT THE BEST BUDDIES
Jim says Saints’ numbers can get even better
Jim Goodwin admits he’s revelling in the collective spirit driving St Mirren on – and is quite partial to the statistics as well.
The I r i shman saw the Buddies end a 13-year wait to secure three Premiership wins on the trot – but also struck a note that will delight their support by insisting there’s still more to come from a team now flirting with the top six.
The Buddies manager offered that assessment after adding Ross County’s scalp to a six- game unbeaten run also featur ing v ictories over Aberdeen and Livingston.
While delighted with his team’s effort and commitment in holding out in Dingwall, Goodwin stressed there could be even better times ahead. He said: “We’re on an impressive run but I still don’t believe we’re anywhere near playing at the level we’re capable of.
“There’s still a hell of a lot more to come from this group.
“That’s great from our point of view. Three wins on the spin in this league is extremely difficult to do.
“It shows how far we’ve come as a group.”
Scott Tanser inspired the
Buddies with two assists and a goal as Ross County’s winless run st r e tched to nine Premiership games.
Malky Mackay’s Staggies twice cut the deficit to one goal but couldn’t find an equaliser despite a surge of pressure late in the match.
That left them stuck in the drop zone at the bottom.
Goodwin added: “We’ve not lost many games, apart from away to Celtic with 10 men for 75 minutes and a rea l narrow one to Hearts who are flying high.
“All in all, I’ve got to be satisfied up to now but we can’t let standards drop.”
Inside three minutes, Blair Spittal’s free-kick from deep right picked out defender Alex Iacovitti in the penalty area and his header struck the frame of St Mirren’s goal.
That let- off for the Paisley men served as a wake-up call and, with 13 minutes gone, Eamonn Brophy dragged a low attempt wide of the far post.
County failed to heed the warning and fell behind from a simi lar move just two minutes later.
Tanser’s pass found Brophy and this time his rocketed finish beat on-loan Charlton keeper Ash Maynard-Brewer high at his near post.
Classy Tanser then had a free-kick saved by MaynardBrewer but after 34 minutes, Saints were 2- 0 up.
Tanser’s corner from the right found the home defence at fault, with ex- Staggies sk ipper Marcus Fraser unmarked to head home. County hit back within two minutes after Ethan Erhahon brought Alex Samuel crashing 25 yards out.
Spittal’s dead-ball attempt took a wicked skim off the top of the wall and beat Jak Alnwick just under the bar.
A third goal within four minutes had the Buddies back two goals ahead.
It came straight from a long Alnwick kick out with home centre halves Jack Baldwin and Iacovitti failing to deal with it and Tanser was able to dink a finish past Maynard-Brewer.
County began to enjoy some steady pressure in the second half and the home side were back in business approaching the 66th minute.
On-loan Arsenal defender Harry Clarke del ivered a tremendous cross from the wide area and fellow defender Iacovitti directed a glancing header beyond Alnwick from the middle of the penalty area.
County had their tails up and kept pressing for the equaliser so it took some increasingly desperate St Mirren defending to keep them at bay.