Cappielow goal blitz fires Buddies into eighth spot
Morton......................1 St Mirren...................4
Craig Ritchie
Super Saints were singing in the rain as they thrashed Renfrewshire rivals Morton last night.
For all the talk of Morton achieving promotion, there was only one side at Cappielow looking capable of troubling the big boys... and it certainly wasn’t the hosts.
The famous victory moves the Paisley side into eighth place in the Championship in a season where relegation once looked a certainty.
Goals from Stelios, Stevie Mallan, John Sutton and Gary MacKenzie sealed the win on a night where St Mirren recovered their superiority in the derby following defeat to ‘Ton earlier in the season.
St Mirren’s Kyle Magennis forced a corner kick inside the opening minutes as the Buddies looked to make an impressive start.
Morton keeper Derek Gaston easily gathered for the hosts, starting a counter attack which resulted in a corner for the hosts.
Former Saint Lawrence Shankland, leading the line for the hosts, was the first to have an effort of any note as he headed narrowly wide of Billy O’Brien’s goal from a Michael Doyle cross.
The St Mirren support was on its feet in 18 minutes as the Saints carved the game’s first real opportunity as Rory Loy robbed Doyle of the ball on the edge of the Ton box.
The striker scampered wide before firing across the face of goal, where Sutton and Stephen McGinn both slid in to try and get the decisive touch, but to no avail.
However, the visiting fans didn’t have long to wait for the opener as the Saints stormed ahead just two minutes later.
A hopeful long ball from Stevie Mallan found Stelios lingering on the edge of the Morton box.
And the Cypriot coolly cut inside Doyle and Ricki Lamie, taking his time to pick his spot before firing a low right-footed drive into the bottom corner for his third goal of the season.
But the joy was to prove short-lived as Morton equalised on the counter-attack after 29 minutes.
Full back Doyle caught Stelios out of position for the first time on the night.
The former Alloa man bombed down the right flank before cutting back across goal for Murdoch to slot home.
Saints managed to weather the storm and looked more than up for the fight, with captain McGinn leading by example as he continued to storm into challenges.
But it was to be Stelios again who would go close to finding the back of the net as the visitors ended the half on the ascendancy.
Cammy Smith, drawing the attention of the Morton backline, found Stelios with a long ball over the top and, buoyed by his earlier goal, Stelios scurried clear of Thomas O’Ware.
But the defender just struggled to get the ball under control before firing a deflected strike over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
But the punters barely had time to return to their seats in the second half before the Saints had fired themselves back in front in stunning fashion
And if ever there is a lesson to be learned, it is to never doubt Stevie Mallan.
A poor headed clearance from the Morton backline fell to the midfielder, who had been quiet up until that point, 25 yards from goal. And he didn’t even think twice as he smashed home into the bottom corner to give Gaston no chance with just over a minute of the half played.
St Mirren were looking well worth their lead as Loy smashed across the face of goal moments later but they would get another goal that their dominance deserved in 56 minutes.
Smith was on the best form of his Saints career and it was his through ball to Loy that opened up the Morton defence. This time the striker’s ball across goal found its intended target as the outstretched leg of Sutton tapped home his side’s third.
The St Mirren defence was starting to drop deeper and deeper as the half wore on but regardless, Morton were struggling to create anything of real note.
A tame Ross Forbes free kick was as good as the hosts could muster as the game headed into the final 15 minutes, backed by a party in the away end.
But the party was only just beginning when MacKenzie put the tie beyond any doubt with a trademark header with 10 minutes remaining.
Gaston was found wanting from a Mallan corner – and there was the big defender on hand to head it home from three yards out.