BUDDIES GO EXTRA KYLE McAllister and Magennis take fight to the final day
KYLE McALLISTER was St Mirren’s saviour as he sent them on their way to a last-day relegation play-off decider.
The on-loan Derby star rammed home Oran Kearney’s side’s opener against 10-man Hamilton – who had Alex Gogic sent off just before the half hour – with 15 minutes left and Kyle Magennis notched a second in injury time.
The result put the Buddies to within a point of 10th-placed Accies with one match remaining.
Nothing less than a win for St Mirren was required to keep their slim hopes of automatically staying in the Premiership alive.
The Paisley side now have to take something against Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday and hope St Johnstone can do them a favour at the Hope CBD Stadium by halting Accies.
That would see Kearney’s men complete the most dramatic and most unlikely of great escapes.
Brian Rice’s men were unbeaten against Saints in their three previous league meetings this season.
You had to go back to February 2015 for St Mirren’s last success over Hamilton.
There was a minute’s applause pre-match for St Mirren fans who had passed away during the season.
Accies had a great early chance. George Oakley ran clean through on goal following a long ball from keeper Gary Woods but after rounding Vaclav Hladky, he blazed his shot high and wide.
Barely a minute later it was St Mirren’s turn to squander a great opening.
Kyle Magennis was unmarked in the box but his half-volleyed effort from 14 yards lacked accuracy.
In 10 minutes visiting defender Ziggy Gordon lost possession and McAllister ran through on goal but Woods sprinted off his line to mop up the danger.
Gordon was then caught with a very late tackle on his ankle by Danny Mullen but ref Willie Collum missed it.
In the 19th minute Aaron McGowan was also lucky to escape with just a yellow card from Collum after aiming a deliberate boot at St Mirren winger Mullen.
Stephen McGinn was cautioned for his protests.
A red was shown soon after though as Hamilton were sensationally reduced to 10 men in 29 minutes. Simeon Jackson rolled Gogic and was hauled to the ground as the hitman was about to burst through. By the letter of the law Gogic had to go.
Neither side made any changes at the interval and Accies’ 10 men were staying solid after the break.
In 50 minutes Paul McGinn was played in behind the Accies defence by McAllister but he rushed his shot and it flew wide.
On the hour midfielder McAllister fired towards goal from distance but it was always rising over.
Accies sub Mickel Miller then fluffed a golden opportunity as the striker dragged a poor effort wide when a square ball would have resulted in a tap-in for Tony Andreu.
Saints almost nudged themselves ahead in 63 minutes when Mihai Popescu rose to power in a header from McGinn’s cross that Woods turned over.
Saints were beginning to turn the screw and some last-ditch defending from Aaron McGowan prevented a certain opener.
St Mirren then threw on Cody Cooke for Jackson and fellow replacement Ryan Flynn’s cross found him to head narrowly over.
But the breakthrough duly arrived in 75 minutes.
McAllister took full advantage when the ball broke to him off Lennard Sowah in the box and he drilled home.
The Buddies ace then hammered in a drive that Woods parried away.
To make matters worse for Accies they finished the game with nine men as sub Miller left the field with what looked like a dislocated shoulder.
And Magennis sealed it, turning in the box before curling a low shot home for the clincher deep into stoppage time.