Kyle: We’re on the right track

A disappointed Kyle McAllister believes the perfect performance from St Mirren isn’t too far away.

After three games of some resilient defending but lacking an attacking threat – the Buddies created plenty of chances at Livingston but were upset to concede two soft goals that resulted in defeat.

The 20-year-old winger said: “If we’d come out the first half like we did the second half I think we’d have won the game.

“But the two goals we conceded are mistakes that shouldn’t have happened.

“After three tough games that we’ve defended very well in, to come here and make those mistakes is not good enough.

“It was a good performance in the second half but we still didn’t do enough to win the game or even get a draw out of it.”

McAllister, who has joined up with the Scotland Under-21 squad this week for their matches with San Marino and Croatia, was manager Jim Goodwin’s only change in West Lothian as he replaced midfielder Ilkay Durmus in the starting line-up.

“I spoke to Jim through the week and he said he wanted to change it and bring me in,” said the former Renfrew High School pupil.

“He put me on the right and Kyle Magennis on the left. He likes coming in on his right and I like coming in on my left so it works out.

“In the first half we were struggling to get onto the ball but in the second we got on it a lot and created more chances. In the following weeks we need to do more of that.

“We had the wind against us in the first half which makes it a bit harder as teams come on top of you, but we can’t make that an excuse with the goal we conceded from a corner.

“The wind helped us second half and helped us push up the pitch. We had a go at them and I think we did it well – we just need to finish our chances.”

The away side’s task was made harder when Livi broke away 13 minutes into the second half to go 2-0 in front through striker Lyndon Dykes.

Magennis then pulled a goal back as St Mirren finished the game strongly. However, they had left themselves far too much to do.

Asked whether the manager had given the team a half-time rollicking, McAllister added: “All the gaffer said at half-time was that the defending for the goal obviously wasn’t good enough but we had to go out and make up for it in the second half.

“We did our best but obviously i t ’ s another stupid goal to concede.”