New faces but same old story for hapless Saints
Ross’s men have now gone seven league games without a win
AS a club seemingly in a constant state of flux in recent years, St Mirren should be well-versed at welcoming new faces, but on the pitch it seems the more things change the more they stay the same at the Paisley club.
Jack Ross became Saints’ sixth permanent manager in two and a half years in October, while Gordon Scott joined up with a group of supporters to complete a takeover of the club last summer.
But even by those standards bidding farewell to 10 players and welcoming the same number midway through a season is quite a turnover – the January printing bill at the Paisley 2021 Stadium wouldn’t have been pretty.
As many as eight of the new arrivals featured in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Dumbarton though familiar defensive failings cost Saints after they twice took the lead. The result means St Mirren remain seven points adrift at the bottom of the Championship while Dumbarton retain a four-point cushion to the drop zone.
An exacerbated Ross admitted after the tie that his new charges would need time to get up to speed, a luxury they don’t have if they are to stave off a damaging relegation, which would be their second in just three seasons.
He said: “I think the majority of them did well. It is not easy because there is a mixture of where they all are in terms of fitness.
“When you attract players in the January window it is for a variety of reasons, quite often it is because they have not been playing regularly. That in itself causes challenges but over the piece I think a lot of them did well.”
One constant during Saints’ nightmare league season, particularly during Ross’s tenure, has been the backing from the fans, who have stuck with them through thin and thin.
There was some cause for optimism for the large number who travelled over the Erskine bridge. Cammy Smith and Craig Storie – both on loan from Aberdeen – impressed, as did new clubcaptain Stephen McGinn and 18-yearold Kyle Magennis in midfield.
But lacklustre defending has been a running theme for St Mirren throughout the campaign and twice Stevie Aitken’s men were able to take advantage of absent marking. In doing so they secured a deserved point in a scrappy encounter on a pitch which cut up badly.
The Buddies took the lead after 35 minutes. Storie did well to find Smith on the left wing. The winger got the ball out of his feet and delivered an inch-perfect cross for David Clarkson who finished well from close range.
Andy Stirling’s set-piece delivery had caused problems throughout and it provided the route to the equaliser after 56 minutes. His corner found former Hearts striker Christian Nade who easily got clear of marker Harry Davis to head Dumbarton level.
Saints’ debutant Davis made amends with little under 20 minutes to go when he headed in McGinn’s free-kick and put Ross’s side on course for what would have been a pivotal three points.
But the away side couldn’t hold on. With 10 minutes to go Gary Irvine did well to head a Stirling cross clear but, when it was headed back in by Nade, the former 31-year-old full-back couldn’t stop a smart turn and finish from Robert Thomson who equalised for Stevie Aitken’s side.
Nade, whose goal was his third in as many matches, would have been excused for signing his own praises for that strike rate, was far from pleased with that return.
He said: “To be honest I think I should have scored more than three goals. We didn’t start well and St Mirren deserved to go in front, we need to start games better.”