Rovers roar back to punish sloppy Saints
ST MIRREN reached the final of the Irn-Bru Cup last season but failed to make the last eight this time round after losing at home for the first time since July.
They dominated for an hour against Raith Rovers and took the lead.
However, Saints then collapsed, largely due to sloppy defending, although that is to take nothing away from the quality of the visitors’ finishes.
Graeme Smith was the first goalkeeper called into action when he was forced to dive to his right to beat away a long-range effort from Dale Hilson.
The Raith keeper then clawed a netbound Gary Irvine 20-yarder out from under his crossbar.
As the hosts continued to pile on the pressure, the busy Smith touched an angled drive by striker Ross Stewart onto his bar then turned behind a fierce shot from Gavin Reilly.
Jack Baird’s header from Ian McShane’s corner also came back off the Rovers’ bar.
Raith remained on the back foot after the break and Saints finally made the breakthrough when Reilly fired home from point-blank range after the impressive Hilson’s cross.
St Mirren then lost their concentration, however, and Rovers levelled immediately, courtesy of a magnificent strike from 20 yards by Lewis Vaughan.
The equaliser appeared to deflate the Championship leaders as they fell behind to a well-crafted goal.
David Mackay’s deep cross was met by Vaughan, whose cushioned header allowed Greig Spence to force the ball behind goalkeeper Ross Stewart.
Saints still had time to draw level but suicidal defending cost them dearly when skipper Adam Eckersley’s slack pass on the edge of his own area found its way to Rovers captain Bobby Barr and he curled a shot into Stewart’s top left-hand corner.
There was a late siege by St Mirren on Smith’s goal but it came to nothing.
Rovers manager Barry Smith said: ‘We were harshly criticised after losing to Albion Rovers last weekend.
‘Going a goal down to the Championship leaders made this a big ask for us but I was delighted with our response.’