SAINTS STILL MARCHING TO ELUSIVE TITLE
Ross’ men determined to cross the line at last after missed opportunities
St Mirren No 2 urges players to keep focus after two previous bids to seal Championship ended in disappointment
St Mirren will look to make sure that they get over the Championship title-winning line against second-placed visitors Livingston today after a “could-have-and-shouldhave” week.
Last Saturday the Saints defeated Brechin City 1-0 at Glebe Park and the champagne could have been flowing, but Livi hit a late winner against Morton.
On Tuesday evening, Jack Ross’s side headed north to face Dundee United and failed to win the point required to secure a return to the Premiership, going down 1-0 in a match they should have won, according to assistant manager James Fowler.
It is now time to put “could and should” to bed. Fowler said: “Things were not totally in our hands last weekend but we did all we could in terms of winning. Tuesday night was unfortunate as we handled losing the early goal well and came back to have the majority of the game.
“We should have scored at least one from the chances that we created and we also hit the bar. We have to put it down to a missed opportunity. It would be good to finally get things sorted.”
Fowler added: “It will not be easy as we are facing a Livingston side looking to confirm their place in the play-offs and looking to finish in second spot as well. They are on a great run and are showing a great togetherness so this will be a very hard game.
“We know what the prize is at the end of it and hopefully we will get there.”
Fowler is looking for the home fans to play their part and added: “Our supporters have been terrific with us over the past 18 months, especially at home where we have been strong. Hopefully we will inspire them to inspire us, but if things are getting nervous then their encouragement will be welcomed.”
Livingston defeated St Mirren 4-1 in the last meeting between the clubs and manager David Hopkin said: “We are nearly there in terms of securing a play-off place and winning this game would be a terrific way to secure our place.”
Third-placed Dunfermline will take another step closer to extending their season in the play-offs if they defeat bottom side Brechin but manager Allan Johnston is taking nothing for granted.
Johnston said: “We will not under-estimateouropponents as Brechin have pushed a lot of sides hard. You can never be complacent in football and we will not be.”
Brechin manager Darren Dods hopes the atmosphere created by the Pars fans at will inspire his men to secure their first Championship success at the 34th attempt.
Dods said: “Dunfermline are closing in on a play-off place so there will be a great atmosphere at this game. A buzzing atmosphere lifted us against St Mirren and we gave a great account of ourselves. We will look to do the same in this one.”
Dundee United aim to build on their win over St Mirren by defeating a Falkirk side who are not yet safe from finishing second bottom.
Tannadice manager Csaba Laszlo said: “We had a fighting spirit in our last game and I want to see that again.”
Morton take on visitors Queen of the South on a high after Jack Iredale’s injury-time goal on Tuesday secured a 3-2 win over Dumbarton that kept the Greenock men interested in the play-offs.
Manager Jim Duffy said: “We have teams glancing over their shoulder and that is all we can do at this time.”
Inverness will continue their stealthy approach to make the play-offs when they host Dumbarton. Manager John Robertson said: “We have to keep doing what we have been doing recently and winning games as things are still in our hands. If we win this one then we are down to needing just four wins and that sounds doable.”
Dumbarton are looking for the three points that could keep their thin hopes of avoiding a fight against relegation in the play-offs alive.
Manager Stephen Aitken said: “Inverness took a real lift from beating us in the final of the Irn-bru Cup last month. We pushed them hard that day and we will look to push them hard again.”
SO NEAR YET SO FAR “We should have scored at least one from the chances that we created [at Tannadice] and we also hit the bar. We have to put it down to a missed opportunity”
JAMES FOWLER